A judicial ruling has forced former minister of housing Ibrahim Suleiman to resign both from parliament and as chairman of the Maritime Petroleum Services Company (MPSC), Gamal Essam El-Din reports Speaker of the People's Assembly Fathi Sorour announced on Monday that Ibrahim Suleiman, the controversial former minister of housing and a current MP of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP), had submitted his resignation from parliament. In a message sent on 26 January Sorour quoted Suleiman as saying that "in appreciation of the public interest and the People's Assembly and in recognition of the duties of my parliamentary membership, please accept my resignation from the assembly". Sorour said the assembly's steering-office had been unanimous in accepting Suleiman's resignation. The resignation complied with a ruling issued by the State Council's Division of Fatwa and Legislation (DFL) on 28 January demanding Suleiman be fired from his position as chairman of the government-owned Maritime Petroleum Services Company (MPSC). The council judged the appointment of Suleiman on 29 June as chairman of MPSC as violating Article 95 of the constitution and article 372 of parliamentary regulations, which state clearly that MPs cannot be appointed to government positions or conclude business deals with the state. "No member of the People's Assembly can buy or rent from the state, lease or sell to the state or conclude a contract with the state in the capacity of entrepreneur, supplier or contractor," the council ruled. The council also argued that Article 179 of Law 159/1981 explicitly prohibited members of both the People's Assembly and Shura Council from being appointed to the boards of joint-stock companies. "This article was formulated to prevent MPs abusing their position and securing illegal profits," said the council. Minister of Petroleum Sameh Fahmi, said Sorour, had forwarded him a message saying: "No sooner did the board of MPSC receive the ruling of the State Council than it agreed Suleiman's appointment as chairman of MPSC be immediately revoked." Suleiman must now pay back all monies received from the company since being appointed in July 2009. His salary is estimated to have been around LE50,000 a month. Fahmi further revealed that the chairman of the government-owned Belayum Petroleum Company would "act as chairman of MPSC until a new chairman is appointed". Minister of State for Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Moufid Shehab argued that, "the firing of Suleiman from his position as MPSC chairman reflects deep- rooted government respect for judicial rulings." "Although the judicial rulings of the State Council's DFL are not binding on the government they are of great moral value and should be received with respect by all state authorities." Suleiman's predicament was seized on by opposition and independent MPs to vent anger against the government. Gamal Zahran, an independent MP and a professor of economics and political science at Suez University, launched a scathing attack against Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif and Minister of Petroleum Fahmi. Zahran wondered "why Nazif appointed Suleiman as MPSC's chairman in the first place". "Nazif and Fahmi knew quite well that Suleiman was an elected MP and that as such he could not head a public sector company," said Zahran. "Nazif and Fahmi also knew beforehand that Article 95 of the constitution stipulates that MPs must choose between their parliamentary roles or having jobs with the government." Independent MP Alaa Abdel-Moneim joined the fray, noting that "Suleiman was both a member of parliament [for Cairo's South district of Gammaliya] and a professor of architecture at Cairo University's Faculty of Engineering". Abdel-Moneim accused Nazif and Fahmi of ignoring parliamentary regulations and "insulting public opinion". "The public was disgusted by the fact that a former minister, accused of a host of financial irregularities, should be appointed chairman of a government-owned company." Many MPs believe that Suleiman's monthly salary as MPSC's chairman was far more than the LE50,000 a month indicated by Fahmi. Zahran put the figure of LE9 million on payments Suleiman had received from the company. Suleiman's resignation from parliament was also criticised by opposition MPs as a tactic aimed at keeping his position as MPSC's chairman. "It seems that Suleiman was forced to sacrifice his parliamentary membership in return for keeping him as chair of MPSC," insisted Zahran. Abdel-Moneim told Al-Ahram Weekly that, "Suleiman faced a choice between retaining a job that was hugely lucrative or else keeping parliamentary membership. He decided it was far better to keep the job." An unidentified source with the Ministry of Petroleum, however, told the press on Monday that "the decision to dismiss Suleiman from MPSC is final... it would be unacceptable for Suleiman to remain in his position any longer". Suleiman is already facing investigation by the Administrative Control Authority after 47 independent and opposition MPs lodged complaints with the prosecutor-general alleging that he had profited from his ministerial post.
