The sheer nature of the job requires an interior minister to be tough and firm. Prince Naif was tough yet kind.
“The prince never asked for an explanation from an official of the ministry if the official made a violation of regulations in order to help the people. In his view, police are to help the people, not to exercise authority,” retired Maj. Gen. Abdullah bin Dulaim Al-Badrani, who was security adviser at the Interior Ministry, said in a condolence message published by Al-Eqtisadiah business daily yesterday.
The prince’s kindness and sympathy for people was boundless irrespective of the region to which they belonged. It was his exceptionally merciful nature that made the prince provide all required assistance to a family in the Eastern Province that wanted to visit Najaf in Iraq and locations in Iran. “The prince ordered me to meet and help the seven-member family of Qatif, who planned to visit Iranian locations and Najaf, to get their passports issued without hurdles and provide the money they needed for the visit,” Al-Badrani said.
The family was deeply impressed by the prince’s kindness, however, they decided not to make the trip. This incident took place in the 1990s.
Al-Badrani narrated another incident to illustrate the extraordinary kindness of the prince. It was when a local chief in Qassim had a safe in his house broken into and a huge amount stolen. In fact, the money was not the chief’s. Most of them were trusts deposited by several people who had faith in the chief. The incident was a matter of disappointment and shame to the chief, who enjoyed a good reputation in the region. He complained to Qassim Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar who, in turn, forwarded the complaint to Prince Naif, underscoring the damage to the chief’s public image. Instantly, Prince Naif sent the required sum to the chief and saved the man’s honor.
Director of royal flights at Saudi Airlines Faisal Al-Rasheedi said in every flight he accompanied Prince Naif, he witnessed the prince issuing orders to meet treatment expenses of dozens of ailing people.