Sabbahi alienates MB and June 30 critics

In a television interview aired on Al-Nahar TV Tuesday night, presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabbahi told the host there would not be a place for the Muslim Brotherhood in any form, whether a party or a movement, under his reign, accusing them of going against the will of the people and adopting terrorism.

He also said that he is betting on the popular opinion of the people, who he maintained believe that January 25 and June 30 were two waves of one great revolution.

“All those who say that January 25 is a setback, or that June 30 is a coup, do not belong to the main current of the people and are not the target of our campaign,” he said, during the interview in which he discussed his political positions and his electoral program.

Despite the sweeping popularity of his contender, former Defense Minister Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Sabbahi said that he is confident the majority of the people are behind him.

He expressed his opposition to the involvement of the military in the political arena and said that his aim is to put the revolution at the forefront of his agenda. He added that the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which ruled the transitional period that followed Mubarak’s removal and the current transitional government that followed Morsi, are not representative of the revolution and are an extension of the old regime.

“I want to replace the old and failed state that has ruled us for 30 years, and still does so, with a young and successful one. We have cut off two heads of the old regime, but its body and policies are still present,” he said.

In terms of economic policies, Sabbahi vowed to put the maximum wage policy into effect, and apply it on himself and all other public employees, meaning that the wages of some highly qualified public employees are likely to be higher than him.

He said that exceptions are not likely, but would be studied on a case-by-case basis if necessary.

The salary of the president is currently LE24,000 a year.

Sabbahi said he would appoint three vice presidents for democracy, development and security, adding that there’s need for reform in all areas of government, starting with legal reform.