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ShareCAIRO: Egyptian Culture Minister Farouk Hosni refused to apologise for his criticism of the Muslim headscarf after Islamists asked him to resign. Hosni, an abstract painter known for his liberal views, said : "What should I apologise for? I do not apologise for something which I have not committed," he told Al-Jazeera.
"Morals and conscience ... are the strongest hijab (headscarf). That's my personal opinion and I have not called on anyone to take off the hijab," he added. Hosni, a ruling party member who has run the culture ministry for 19 years, told Al Masry Al Yom that Egypt would not progress as long as its people depended on religious edicts "worth 5 cents".
"Women with their beautiful hair are like flowers that should not be covered and blocked from people," he added.
The Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's biggest opposition group has demanded his resignation. In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar criticised the Netherlands over a proposed ban of face veils, saying it violated the rights of Muslims.
