Bahraini lawmakers call for research on immorality amongst youth

Manama: Five Bahraini lawmakers have called for the formation of a committee to carry out studies and research on immoral phenomena that have spread among Bahrain’s youth.

“We need to have action strategies and plans to address the negative phenomena that have eaten at the social fabric and are having negative effects on the morals and health of our youth,” the lawmakers said in their motion.

“Even though the official religion of the country is Islam, we have seen that our society is now plagued with phenomena that are clearly rejected by Islam and are against our Islamic values,” MPs Ali Ahmad, Sami Qambar, Nasser Al Fadhala, Abdul Lateef Al Shaikh and Ebrahim Al Hadi, representing the Islamic Menbar bloc, said.

The committee would ensure that Islamic values are upheld and that immoral activities and attitudes are eliminated, thus protecting the moral fiber of society.

“We will of course need a helping hand from everyone keen on preserving Bahrain’s identity and Islamic heritage and values and that our youth are protected from depravation,” the MPs said.

Social development ministry officials said that they welcomed the studies to help limit and eliminate immorality, but insisted that the committee be formed by the parliament.

The proposal is likely to be considered with skepticism by the country’s liberals among concerns that it could eventually lead to calls for the formation of a national committee to propagate virtue and prevent vice.

Earlier suggestions by conservative MPs to form a religious police have been rejected.

However, the parliament and religious formations have been pressing for stringent action against “the spread of vice in Manama” following the publication of a report on the Internet ranking the Bahraini capital among the top 10 vice cities in the world. Bars and dancing halls in many small hotels have been shut despite protests from hoteliers.