RIYADH, 31 October — Interior Minister Prince Naif stated yesterday that the government will implement "in toto" an order by Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, banning foreigners from driving taxis in the Kingdom.
Speaking to reporters after attending a ceremony held in honor of retired Interior Ministry officials, he said: "All the orders given by the crown prince will be implemented verbatim."
Prince Naif was referring to another order by Prince Abdullah on Tuesday restricting the authority to issue labor visas to the Labor Ministry.
Abdul Rahman Al-Jeraisy, chairman of the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the ban on foreigners driving taxis will have positive effect on the economy.
Officials working for taxi companies in the Kingdom said the new order will create at least 20,000 jobs for Saudis. They expected that many small taxi companies, which are incapable of meeting the new conditions, might withdraw from the market.
There are about 700 taxi firms in the Kingdom, concentrated mainly in the cities of Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. Sixty percent of them are small firms, while the other own around 400 cars each.
Sabri Shaaban, director of transport in the Eastern Province, told Al-Yaum newspaper that the Communications Ministry in coordination with the Interior Ministry will deport the foreign taxi drivers.
There are 2,700 foreign taxi drivers and 300 Saudi drivers working for 71 companies in the province. Some 1,900 Saudis drive own taxis.
Referring to the order restricting work visa issuance to the Labor Ministry, Prince Naif said: "All Interior Ministry departments will soon coordinate with the Labor Ministry in this respect to ensure continuity of service."
Prince Naif denied suggestions that there were divisions among Saudis at official and popular levels following the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States. "There is no change in the fundamentals that bring together the Saudi citizens and their leadership. New situations will only strengthen their unity and cohesion," he added.
The interior minister said there was no crackdown on Islamic scholars in the Kingdom after the Sept. 11 attacks. "The state firmly adheres to the Islamic faith. It backs the ulema (Islamic scholars). Ulema receive the attention of the state. They are the men of the state," he added.
"Anyone with a different interpretation is mistaken and should rectify his mistake," the minister asserted.
The Saudi leadership, under international pressure to curb alleged religious extremism, has strongly defended the religious establishment while at the same time urging scholars to show self-restraint and openness.
Top Saudi scholars, including the grand mufti, Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Shaikh, have strongly condemned the terror attacks in New York and Washington, describing them as a "terrible crime."
A major international Islamic conference, which opened in Riyadh on Tuesday, urged Muslim youth to follow the path of moderation and shun extremism.
Muslim leaders taking part in the conference complained that Western media have been using 9/11 as a pretext to discredit Islam and distort its image.
Prince Naif said the recent visit of UN human rights official Dato Param Cumaraswamy will not bring about any changes in the Kingdom.
"Whatever he said is his viewpoint. We are happy that he met with our officials and visited jails. But there will be no change in our systems and methods," the prince said, referring to the press conference held by Cumaraswamy, UN special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, in Riyadh at the end of his tour.
