Remembering the name of an Egyptian artist...the Prime Minister of Malaysia jokes with Sisi on the air

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Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim joked with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, during a joint press conference in the Malaysian capital, today, Saturday, invoking symbols of Egyptian art and culture, in his talk about Egypt’s historical presence and its soft power in the conscience of the Malaysian people.

Ibrahim said that Malaysians know Egypt, its history and its status, not only since the era of the late President Gamal Abdel Nasser, but also since the era of the Pharaohs and Tutankhamun, all the way to the Egyptian Opera, the Star of the East, Umm Kulthum, Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, and Al-Hussein Mosque.

Addressing Sisi, he added: “You did not mention Samia Gamal to me,” in a joking reference to the Egyptian artist’s fame and presence in the memory of art and show, as part of his talk about the Malaysians’ connection to Egyptian culture.

The Malaysian Prime Minister stressed that the Malaysian people's interest in Egypt extends to its history, arts, and cultural and religious symbols, considering that this connection reflects Egypt's continued presence in the Malaysian conscience.

Egyptian artist Samia Gamal, whose real name is Zainab Khalil Ibrahim Mahfouz, is considered one of the most prominent dancers over the past century. She was born in 1924 in the village of Wana al-Qass in Beni Suef Governorate. She was nicknamed “the butterfly of Egyptian cinema” after she created a prominent position for herself in dance, performance, and cinema.

She began her artistic career in the 1940s with Badia Masabni's band, before moving to cinema, where she presented a show style that combined belly dancing with movements inspired by Western dance.

Samia Gamal formed successful artistic duets, most notably with the late musician Farid Al-Atrash in a number of films, and she also co-starred with the artist Rushdi Abaza in cinematic works, before they later married.

Her fame extended outside Egypt, as she participated in the French film “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves” opposite the actor Fernandel. She also appeared in the American film “Valley of the Kings,” becoming one of the Egyptian faces whose name was associated with show and cinema abroad.

During her career, Samia Gamal presented dozens of films, including “Afrita Hanem,” “Prince of Revenge,” and “The Second Man,” and she remained one of the most prominent dance and film stars in Egypt, until her death in 1994 at the age of 70.