DAMMAM: Members of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, the Hai'a, stressed efforts to strengthen intellectual security and clamp down on deviant and terror thought at the final day of the Hai'a's two-day meeting of regional chiefs in Al-Khobar Sunday. The event was held under the title “Strengthening Intellectual Security”. Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Humayyen, president general of the Hai'a said that “the Hai'a is serious about fighting deviant thought and improving intellectual security for all the various facets of society”. “The Hai'a sees it as one of the most important duties in promoting virtue and preventing vice,” Al-Humayyen said. “Deviant thought and its effects are one of the greatest vices targeting the creed of our society's children.” On repeated criticisms of the Hai'a and the extent to which they affect its work in offering advice, guidance and awareness of the threat of terrorism, Al-Humayyen said, “The Hai'a is an official state body, and has enjoyed great support since the time of the founder late King Abdul Aziz, support which continues today. The Hai'a performs its duty in terms of advice and guidance.” Participants in the final day of the 5th meeting of the regional chiefs of Hai'a stressed the need to fight deviant and terror thought and to counter its effect on individuals, society, and state. They said that righteousness and happiness in life, and conforming to Allah's Will, cannot be achieved without security and stability in the country. The participants also lauded the leadership's efforts to tackle intellectual security issues and counter terrorism with both intellect and security measures. They also praised security officials' preventative strikes against those who want to spread deviant ideology. They stressed the role of Aqida (faith) in the development of sound, balanced, and deviant-free thought. The participants lauded research and studies conducted by Prince Naif University for Security Sciences, the General Administration of Intellectual Security at the Ministry of Interior and the Prince Naif Chair for Intellectual Security Studies at King Saud University, for their efforts to strengthen intellectual security and make use of scientific methods. Participants stressed the importance of knowledge, education and a solid social structure in confronting deviant thought. The recommendations emphasized the role of the media and education in fighting deviant thought; and coordinated efforts to spread a culture of moderation. The participants thanked King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, the Crown Prince and the Second Deputy Premier for their support of the Hai'a and its development programs. The Hai'a's national spokesman, meanwhile, rejected the name “danger allowance” for the 20 percent salary allowance proposal for the organization's field staff. “Danger allowances are for security bodies,” spokesman Abdul Mohsen Al-Ghaffari said. “The Hai'a has asked for a ‘nature of the work' allowance of 20 percent for Hai'a members working in the field. It is currently being considered and no deadline has been given either for its approval or its introduction.”
