Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz, the Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior, has called for the development of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (the Hai'a), taking into account the changing times. Presiding over the launching ceremony of the strategic plan for the Hai'a prepared by King Fahd University for Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Prince Naif said the Hai'a – like other state agencies – should develop to keep pace with the changing times. “Any agency which fails to develop will undoubtedly remain backward,” he said. Prince Naif reiterated the keenness of the government on extending support to the Hai'a. Dr Khalid Al-Sultan, KFUPM Rector, said the plan is primarily aimed at developing the administrative and technical work of the Hai'a. Prince Naif also launched an electronic site of the Hai'a. Praising the Hai'a staff, Prince Naif hoped that the strategic plan would help further improve the Hai'a's performance. He said that the Hai'a staff were like any other people susceptible to commit mistakes, but that some channels of the media exaggerate these mistakes. He urged the media to extend support to the Hai'a and highlight its importance for society. “I hope the day will come when all families thank the Hai'a for its role in the guidance of their sons,” he said. Prince Naif said some strange practices have surfaced in Saudi society under the influence of the information media, especially the Internet. He said these practices are alien to Saudi society and should be dealt with at the family level before the Hai'a steps in. Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Humayen, Hai'a president, announced the approval of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, to establish the Chair of King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz for ‘Hisbah' and its contemporary studies at King Saud University (KSU). Hisbah is a doctrine of keeping everything in order within the Shariah. He also announced the approval of the Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior to establish the Chair of Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz for studies on the promotion of virtue and prevention of vice at the Madina-based Islamic University. Prince Naif denied reports that overcrowding at Saudi Al-Batha and Al-Ghuwaifat border posts with the United Arab Emirates had anything to do with the UAE withdrawal from the Gulf monetary union. The congestion was the result of overcrowding to complete the required procedures pertaining to fingerprinting, he said. On Sunday 2,000 trucks were cleared for entry into the Kingdom while 1,700 trucks crossed from the Kingdom to the UAE, ending days of congestion. Prince Naif said the Kingdom along with other countries has been calling for international cooperation in fighting terrorism and in drying up its resources. He regretted that some information media members have been opening doors for persons who deal with terrorism or who are themselves terrorists and exploit these information media teams in order to spread their deviant ideas. “The Kingdom will spare no effort in supporting any work that aims at enhancing the pillars of security,” he said. Prince Naif pointed out that terrorism has not been eliminated totally and that those who support terrorism know how to mislead others. “We have been encountering these people, but it is a pity that we find some people inside our country who extend assistance to terrorists instead of fighting and confronting them. We have been working to reform the youth,” the minister said. __
