CAIRO: Opposition and independent Members of Parliament announced the reestablishment of the Egyptian branch of the Arab Parliamentarians Against Corruption, an international organization based in Beirut. Established in 2004, the organization has branches in a number of Arab countries including Morocco, Bahrain, Kuwait, and is headed by Nasser Al Sayegh, former vice president of the Kuwaiti Parliament. Two years ago, the organization's leadership in Beirut froze all activities of the Egyptian branch, which at the time was established and operated by MPs affiliated with the ruling National Democratic Party. The MPs didn't commit to the principles of fighting corruption and hadn't done anything to combat corruption in Egypt, the Beirut office said at the time. The organization independent MP Gamal Zahran to relaunch the Egypt branch this year. "The Egyptian branch was frozen because the NDP MPs misused the organization as a tool to prove that there's no corruption in Egypt. After the MPs were notified repeatedly for not committing to the organization's principles, the branch was frozen, Zahran said. The announcement was made during a meeting held on Tuesday evening by 25 MPs, including independents, opposition and members of the Muslim Brotherhood. The Board of Directors was formed during the meeting as well, with Zahran as president and Farid Ismail, a Brotherhood MB, as vice president. The Organization's bureau was also formed during the meeting, with its five MPs representing various opposition parties: El-Wafd, El-Karama, the Liberal Constitutionalist Party and the Coalition Party, in addition to Anwar Essmat El-Sadat. Twelve NDP MPs were invited to the meeting but none showed up, Zahran told Daily News Egypt. Membership of the organization is open to all, regardless of their political affiliation, he added. "The organization's headquarters' will be inside the Egyptian Parliament, Zahran said. "I expect all members of the MP to join our organization including independents, opposition and the Muslim Brotherhood, but I don't believe any NDP MPs would join, he added.
