 MANAMA: A new Islamic watchdog could soon be set up to monitor people's behaviour. MPs yesterday voted to create the watchdog and it will now be put to the Cabinet.
| That's a good candidate for Worst Idea of the Week... |
Its job would be to promote Islam and admonish those who behave in an anti-Islamic manner, but it would have no policing powers, MPs heard at the weekly parliament session.
| "The Soddie religious cops can! Why can't we?" |
But some MPs objected, fearing it could develop into a religious police force.
| Picked right up on that, didn't they? |
The Islamic Affairs Ministry also objected, saying it was already safeguarding Islamic values in Bahrain.
The move was backed by parliament's legislative and legal affairs committee, after studying the original proposal submitted by MP Shaikh Jassim Al Saeedi. "The council would offer spiritual guidance and religious encouragement through the media and by publicly preaching Islam teachings," said Shaikh Al Saeedi. But he said it would not have any power to police the community and would function under the Islamic Affairs Ministry's umbrella. Shaikh Al Saeedi stressed the panel would focus on spiritual guidance, while respecting the freedom of others, within the provisions of the country's constitution. He said the aim was to safeguard the community's tradition and culture. Islamic Affairs Under-Secretary Dr Fareed Al Moftah said it was unnecessary, since the ministry was already serving a similar purpose. |