- MB News
- October 31, 2010
- 4 minutes read
Morsy: Egypt’s interests are at the top of MB priorities
Dr. Mohammed Morsy, spokesman for Egypt’s influential Muslim Brotherhood and its Executive Bureau member, has affirmed that the Muslim Brotherhood’s participation in the 2010 parliamentary elections is derived from its keenness to preserve national security as the country’s interests are far more important than anything else.
In an interview with “The Cairo Dialogue” program aired on Al-Hurra TV yesterday evening, Mohammed Morsy explained that the group’s announcement that they will contest 30% of parliamentary seats aimed at achieving public interest goals and contributing to expose the failed policy pursued by the ruling regime. He stressed that what is being said now, and what is going to be said later, that the group’s opportunities to win this election are dwindling due to the new restrictions imposed by the ruling party of President Hosni Mubarak, is unacceptable as their participation should not be linked to finding justifications claiming that the probability of the Brotherhood’s loss in the coming polls is a result of people’s reluctance to embrace the Brotherhood’s ideology.
He noted that if the opposition consulted about sensitive issues to make a decision, and these decisions were agreed-upon by members of the National Association for Change (NAC), everyone should be committed to them, but if they are not agreed-upon, every party has to make the decision that suits him, and should be respected, indicating that the NAC is sufficient to accommodate everyone.
He emphasized that clarity is a designated essential that the Brothers are known for in their dealings with NAC members since its inception, stressing that the decision to participate in the election stems from the Brotherhood’s strong belief that the country needs a transitional period where various political forces team up to rescue the nation from the dark path it is heading down and the group did not blame the other factions that decided to boycott the polls.
Morsy indicates that the Brothers are not inspired and disagree just like anyone else, but when a decision has been made, everybody should comply.
Concerning the claim that the group’s decision to contest parliamentary elections is linked to the Wafd Party, he said: “We did not wait for others to announce our decision to participate; we have taken steps as a result of an updated study. The Brotherhood always welcomes any attempt by other parties that are aimed at having constructive dialogue in favor of changing the corrupt political climate in Egypt.”
As for the Brothers having evacuated some constituencies leaving them for the others, Morsy explained that the Brothers are always coordinating with the parties that agree with them on desired political reform. He added that the Brotherhood will not be able alone to lay the foundations for democratic change. Principally Egyptians face a regime that wants to stay in power by all possible and impossible means, demonstrating that they want exclusive dominance over elections and power forever.
He maintained that the arbitrary arrests by the authoritarian regime against the Brothers have become commonplace, to the extent that world press is now aware that the detention orders are closely linked to the group. However, he underscored the need to uproot the government’s hostile policy and stop its arbitrary arrests.
Morsy renounced what is being said regarding the unconstitutional nature of the slogan “Islam Is the Solution”, stressing that the Egyptian constitution, in Article II states, “Islam is the religion of the state”. Concerning the Muslim Brotherhood’s platform, in his speech Morsy said that it depends upon many focal points as politics is the main theme with which we can bring about democracy, in order to put an end to the state of emergency, to hold a free and fair elections, and to provide freedom for civil society institutions. He denied accusations that the Brotherhood seeks violent revolution, referring to the fact that reform necessarily includes steps, as well as the Muslim Brotherhood’s willingness to maintain a sense of freedom in society in order to encourage citizens to actively participate in politics and assume responsibility. About the sources of funding for the MB’s election campaigns, he said: “We rely on ourselves, and the MB members spend their own money on their general-election bids.”