The Muslim Brotherhood’s mistakes have negatively affected its popularity, said Mahdi Akef, a former supreme guide of the group.
Speaking to the Saudi satellite TV channel Al-Arabiya on Sunday, Akef said the Brotherhood was mistaken when it formed the Constituent Assembly. As a group, party and MPs, its members also incorrectly dealt with the media, he said.
The group didn’t differentiate between the Brotherhood’s style in defending itself and the political party’s style, which targets leading the country, Akef said.
Mistakes with media should be corrected, he said, adding that it seems the group has realized the problem exists and is working to fix it.
Akef said the Brotherhood did not realize the nature of media, keeping “unchanged agendas.”
He also warned Brotherhood candidate Mohamed Morsy against consequences of making the same mistakes in case he becomes president, saying they would harm the group as well as Islamists.
Akef described presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq as a “thumbnail of Mubarak’s regime,” saying that “Shafiq should withdraw from the presidential race so Egypt can be safe.”
He also said that selecting a non-Brotherhood prime minister would be in the group’s favor, in light of the parliamentary majority and formation of a coalition government.
The prime minister post would be available for Copts, women and others without discrimination, he said.
Edited translation from MENA
