President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi Saturday accepted the resignation of the government after it was rocked by a corruption scandal, and tasked the oil minister with forming a new cabinet.

A senior official told AFP the resignation of premier Ibrahim Mahlab's administration aimed to "pump new blood" into the government after the arrest on Monday of agriculture minister Salah Helal on suspicion of taking bribes.

The presidency said Sisi asked outgoing oil minister Sharif Ismail to form a new cabinet within a week.

Media had reported an impending reshuffle after Helal's arrest following his resignation in connection with an investigation into corruption.

Helal and his chief of staff were accused of having "requested and received" bribes from a businessman, via an intermediary, to legalise the purchase of state property.
The government had denied reports of an impending reshuffle, and said no other ministers had been implicated in the corruption case.

But there have growing calls for Mahlab's resignation and increasing protests by civil servants over a new law that centralises promotions while taxing bonuses.