Al-Nour Party MP Anwar El-Balkimy, who became known as "Nose job" Salafist MP, apologised on-air in today's session of the People's Assembly — Egypt's lower house of parliament — for lying about alleged facial injuries in March. He claimed he was victim of a violent attack while the truth was he underwent plastic surgery on his nose.
El-Balkimy's apology came after the speaker of People's Assembly, Saad El-Katatni, announced that 100 MPs requested that El-Balkimy's membership in parliament be withdrawn.
El-Balkimy defended himself, saying: "I swear I was unconscious after the so-called plastic surgery and I regret what happened now." He went on saying that whether or not he remains in the People's Assembly as an MP, he will always be "a servant for religion and for the Egyptian people."
El-Balkimy cited the verse in the Quran, "God. Punish us not if we forget or fall into error," and the Prophet Mohammed's saying, "Every Son of Adam is a Sinner, and the Best of Sinners are those who Repent," explaining that he is but human.
El-Balkimy's apology was followed by applause from MPs present in the session.
Salafist Al-Nour Party MP Younis Makhyoun said that Al-Nour Party submitted the request for El-Balkimy's membership to be withdrawn as "this was not acceptable behaviour from someone who represents the people, and we do not cover for any mistakes."
The People's Assembly agreed on referring the request to the Legislative Committee who approved a move to lift parliamentary immunity a couple of weeks later.
El-Balkimy said he was beaten and robbed of LE100,000 on 29 February. However, it was later discovered that his facial injuries were caused by cosmetic surgery. The manager of a medical clinic revealed that El-Balkimy had undergone nose surgery on 28 February (the day before the alleged attack) and insisted on discharging himself immediately after the operation.
