The focus of most Egyptian newspapers today was on the statements made by Egyptian Minister of Education, the statements made by the head of the al-Wafd Party about the former regime and Magdy Yacoub's criticism of the doctors' protest. Youm7 Egyptian businessman Hussein Sabour today criticized former regime members, accusing former Egyptian Minister of Housing Ahmed al-Magraby of being a billionaire and of embezzling funds even though he is childless. However Sbour defended former Minister of Foreign Trade and Industry Rashid Mohamed Rashid, saying he was not corrupt and did what is best for Egypt. The former Egyptian government flattered former Egyptian Chairman of the Budget Committee of the People's Assembly and businessman Ahmed Ezz, adding that Rashid approved the Ezz Steel Company license after receiving supreme instructions. Ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak did not have vison or talent, Sabour said. He was a director not a leader. “Former Egyptian First Lady Suzanne Mubarak, former Speaker of the Shura Council Safwat al-Sherif and former Head of the Office of the Presidency Zakareya Azmi controlled Hosni Mubarak,” Sabour said. The coming elections will not revive the former regime, said Egyptian thinker Said Yaseen, but it will activate the role of families and tributes. “Political forces and coalitions will not gain any parliamentary seats,” he added. Yaseen also criticized Islamic preacher Safwat Hegazy's statements indicating that Hegazy is the general secretary of the January 25 Revolution and that 50,000 young men follow him. “The January 25 Revolution is 100 percent Egyptian and the U.S. has no business in it,” Sabour said. Al-Ahram The Ministerial Committee for Sinai Development today decided to begin the project of Sinai development. The project aims to establish an organizational entity that supervises the implementation of the development plan. A minor committee is preparing a law to apply the project, which will ultimately be presented to the Cabinet of Ministers for ratification. The Ministerial Committee also decided to approve the demands of Sinai residents like appointing some to governmental and private sectors, freezing the 187 violations committed by farmers on the al-Salam Canal in Sinai and rationing the 1,242 buildings in South Sinai. Al-Akhbar Egyptian surgeon Magdy Yacoub today expressed his concern over the current instability in Egypt, particularly the assaults on houses of worship. “Ignorance is the only reason this crisis exists in Egypt,” Yacoub said. “The Egyptian people have a strong faith and cannot burn houses of worship.” “The only way to end the crisis is to believe in humanity and serve one another without regard for religion or color.” Yacoub also criticized the recent doctors' protest, claiming that “medicine is the job of humanity, it helps sick people any time.” “Dialogue, not protesting, is the way to solve our problems,” he added. “The demands of the teachers are legitimate,” said Egyptian Minister of Education Ahmed Gamal al Din Moussa. “A primary stage teacher has the same rights as a university professor.” “Changing the high school system is the only way to stop private lessons,” Moussa said, adding that the ministry is currently working on that project. Moussa also praised the role of civil society and the youth of the revolution who helped to build schools in Upper Egypt with the cooperation of UNICEF. “Five new technological schools will be established next year; it is necessary to develop technical education,” he added. Al-Masry Al-Youm “Al-Wafd will not vote for members of the dissolved National Democratic Party (NDP) in the parliamentary elections,” said Head of al-Wafd Said al-Badawy. Al-Badawy also expressed his sorrow that Mahmoud Aboul Fotouh, the former minister of irrigation, did not run on the al-Wafd election list. “Al-Wafd will participate in the parliamentary elections in all regions,” he said, adding that “individual candidates will be free to coordinate with any party.” The al-Wafd Party withdrew from the Democratic Alliance, he said. “The Revolution Youth have a weak chance in the parliamentary elections,” he said. Al-Wafd does not have any deals with the military council and Egypt suffers from genuine sectarian strife, he continued. Al-Badawy also accused the current Egyptian government, led by Prime Minister Essam Sharaf, of not achieving the ambitions of the Egyptian people. Al-Shorouq The Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) today denied any electoral coordination with other Islamic Parties. It announced that the presentation of its lists for the parliamentary elections will occur tomorrow. The FJP is waiting for the Salafis to present their lists so that it can be studied for weaknesses and strengths. Al-Gomhorreya Head of the Administrative Judiciary Ali Fekry refrained from commenting on the appeals against the head of the Supreme Committee for Elections and the military council, citing his membership on the Committee as a conflict of interest. One of the appeals is a demand to establish an electoral headquarters in Egyptian embassies abroad to facilitate the expatriate vote and ensure that all Egyptians can participate in government.
