- MB News
- January 27, 2012
- 3 minutes read
Muslim Brotherhood Leaders Reject SCAF’s Interference in Legislation
Muslim Brotherhood (MB) leaders rejected the Military Council’s (SCAF) ratifying of bill number 13 issued January 19, that could reform Al-Azhar’s independence law, saying SCAF no longer has legislative powers after election of the People’s Assembly. The controversial bill was published on January 24 in Al-Wakae Al Masreya paper, the official government newspaper.
According to MB Deputy Chairman Eng. Khairat Al-Shater: "Both the Azhar Institution and SCAF will be mistaken if the bill is ratified since it bypasses elected parliamentarians chosen to represent the will of the people and treads on their mandate. The MPs should not remain silent".
For his part, Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Barr from the MB’s Executive Bureau and Dean of the Azhar University in Mansoura objected to a law being passed, which would call for the consent of the SCAF once parliament chooses Azhar’s top Cleric. He stated: "This issue doe not concern the SCAF and parliament is well equipped to restore the Azhar institution’s deserved independence".
He added: "Unfortunately those who drafted the bill overlooked the fact that it would effect the Azhar institution. The bill should be studied and discussed by a capable body made up of Azhar’s professors who are well read on the issue in order to reach its full potential and best form".
He stressed: “There is no obligation to send the law to SCAF to approve since it is up to parliament to pass the bill. SCAF is no longer entitled to interfere, since this would be illegitimate".
