World | Other World Stories
Malaysia's plan for Great Pyramid suffers setback
Malaysian authorities suffered a setback on Wednesday in their plan to send a 35-member team to drape Egypt's Great Pyramid at Giza with the flags of the world's 57 Muslim countries.
- AP
- Published: 00:00 December 29, 2005
Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian authorities suffered a setback on Wednesday in their plan to send a 35-member team to drape Egypt's Great Pyramid at Giza with the flags of the world's 57 Muslim countries.
The chairman of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, the body responsible for the Giza site, said in Cairo that he would not allow it to be draped.
"This cannot take place," chairman Zahi Hawass said.
"The pyramid cannot be draped by any person in this world. Nobody is allowed to do this."
Malaysia's Defence Minister Najib Razak announced the project during a ceremony on Tuesday, when he presented a Malaysian flag to the team's leaders.
Najib said the expedition, which had been planned for May 18, is a "commendable effort," and comes in response to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's call to raise Malaysia's profile in the world.
The flag-draping event, sponsored by Malaysia's Youth and Sports Ministry and the Selangor state government, had been slated to be broadcast live on a Malaysian TV channel.
But Hawass ruled out giving permission to the so-called Malaysian Peace Mission team for the project which would involve climbing the 4,600-year-old World Heritage site.
"Why should I allow them to drape it?" Hawass said. "If they want to make propaganda, let them do it somewhere else. They can do it in any other place in Cairo."
Hawass said he had rejected other requests to exploit the Great Pyramid in some way.
The Great Pyramid at Giza was built by the Pharaoh Khufu, or Cheops, with 3 million stone blocks weighing 2.5 tons each, without any cementing material. It is the height of a modern day 40-storey building.
Malaysia's Star newspaper said the team wanted to drape the pyramid with the flags of the 57 members of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, which Malaysia currently chairs.
The Malaysian team had also hoped to visit several mosques and historical places in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, the Star said.
More from Other World Stories
More from World
News Editor's choice
-
6,000 cups and counting: Addicted to that tea
This cafeteria in Al Mamzar attracts thousands of customers daily, including the rich and not so rich
-
Swimming pool horror: Twins hospitalised
Twins rushed to hospital after collapsing from chlorine inhalation at swimming pool in their villa
-
Play your cards right with credit card interest
UAE Central Bank plans to cap interest rates, but are you paying thirty-five per cent now?
