Prince Muhammad takes oath of office

JEDDAH: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah received the newly appointed Interior Minister Prince Muhammad bin Naif at his palace and wished him every success in his new career, the Saudi Press Agency said.
Prince Muhammad, who replaces Prince Ahmed, took oath of office in front of the king. The minister thanked King Abdullah for the appointment and prayed to the Almighty to help him rise up to the king’s expectations.
The ceremony was attended by Prince Bandar bin Sultan, chief of intelligence and secretary-general of the National Security Council, and Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, state minister and commander of the National Guard.
Meanwhile, a number of regional governors and government officials congratulated Prince Muhammad on his appointment. “I would like to congratulate you for winning the king’s confidence,” Jazan Gov. Prince Muhammad bin Nasser said in cable to the minister.
Madinah Gov. Prince Abdul Aziz bin Majed expressed his confidence that the new minister would work to strengthen the Kingdom’s security and stability.
In a similar statement, Interior Ministry Undersecretary Dr. Ahmed Salim described Prince Muhammad as a man of administration and leadership and commended his ability to deal with difficult situations.
“It was a right decision taken by the king,” Salim said about Prince Muhammad’s appointment while underscoring the longstanding experience gained by the prince being assistant minister for security affairs for several years.
Salim praised the leadership role played by Prince Muhammad in the Kingdom’s campaign against Al-Qaeda terrorists.
Maj. Gen. Suleiman Al-Amr, deputy director general of Civil Defense, also congratulated the prince and noted his ability to take up such a big responsibility. “He has learned a lot from the wisdom of his late father Prince Naif.”