Anwar says daughter’s election as No 2 in his party not nepotism, as Nurul Izzah outlines priorities

JOHOR BAHRU: Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has rejected claims that his daughter’s appointment as his number two in his party was the result of nepotism, maintaining that she clinched the position on her own merit. 

Meanwhile Nurul Izzah Anwar, the prime minister’s new heir-apparent after being elected as deputy president in the ruling Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), has set her sights on preparing the party for upcoming elections.

She outlined that one of her first tasks would be to reach out to party members and grassroots, including those who have lost in the party polls, without whom PKR’s performance in national polls would be adversely affected.

Nurul Izzah defeated incumbent and Minister of Economy Rafizi Ramli in the party’s internal polls after winning 9,803 votes against the latter’s 3,866 votes.

“Politics is a zero-sum game, so we must ensure everyone feels involved and contributing. If you win as the divisional head, it doesn't mean (your party members who) lost are no longer part of this party,” said Nurul Izzah in her first speech as deputy president. 

In his speech to close the congress on Saturday (May 24), Anwar touched on allegations of nepotism in the party - citing how certain quarters had accused him of favouring his family members with key party appointments. 

He cited how some have accused him of favouring his wife - Wan Azizah Wan Ismail - when she was appointed PKR president in 1999 after he was sacked as deputy prime minister and subsequently arrested and jailed on sodomy allegations.

“People raise the issue of my wife, my child (being given special treatment), but previously when we formed the party in the early years, there was no congress, who then should hold the torch while I was imprisoned?” said Anwar.

“Donations? We didn’t have any. Grassroots? We were small (then). At that point the issue of family and nepotism did not arise,” he added. 

Anwar acknowledged that he handpicked Wan Azizah to be interim party president after he was arrested. However he stressed that Nurul Izzah had clinched the deputy president post on her own merit. 

“For (Wan) Azizah yes I picked her because of the circumstances, but Nurul Izzah - you all picked her. Ladies and gentlemen, please continue your work, there is no guarantee for anyone’s future (in the party) we will be judged by our work and our contributions, God is the one who decides in the end,” said Anwar. 

Nurul Izzah, a three-term Member of Parliament, has been a prominent figure in the nation’s political landscape. 

She is known as the “Reformasi Princess” after she emerged as a unifying leader during the “Reformasi” movement in 1998 following the arrest of her father.

In the decades since, Nurul Izzah has established her own identity, engaging in various policy initiatives aimed at advancing social and economic justice for women and those in the lower income brackets through the think tanks Social Economic Research Initiatives (SERI) which she chairs and Polity, which she recently founded.

Despite her extensive political experience and qualifications, her candidacy has reignited discussions about potential nepotism due to her familial ties. 

The reality of both the PKR's top positions being held by father and daughter continues to fuel debates about the implications for Malaysian politics and the perception of dynastic influence within the party.

In January 2023, Anwar appointed Nurul Izzah as his senior advisor on economics and finance. However, this appointment was met with public criticism and accusations of nepotism, leading to its reversal. 

Nurul Izzah has consistently refuted these claims, emphasising that her positions within PKR have been earned through democratic elections by party members, not through familial appointments. 

She has highlighted her track record, including her tenure as vice president and her decision to decline a ministerial post in 2018 to avoid conflicts of interest, as evidence of her commitment to merit-based advancement.

PKR RISKS LOSING SUPPORT IF IT DOESN’T ENGAGE MEMBERS WHO LOST: NURUL IZZAH 

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the party congress on Saturday, Nurul Izzah stressed that she is keen for the party to close ranks after a campaign she described as “the most heated of contestations”.

She added that one of her key priorities is to engage party members who lost or those who were left disappointed with the results. 

“We want to synergise the party's strength, how we can make a difference as leaders and to inspire the grassroots,” she said. 

Nurul Izzah earlier said in her congress speech that the party risked losing a third of its voters in national polls if it did not engage those who lost in the party polls. In the contest for the deputy presidency, Rafizi garnered 28 per cent of total votes cast. 

“Trust me, without these members, at the next polls our vote share will drop by a third,” she said. 

When asked by reporters if she had reached out to Rafizi, she said that it is “an ongoing effort”. 

“In everything in life we have to take on all the burdens and challenges, but we cannot deny anyone's contributions (to the party),” she added.

As deputy president, she has also set her sights on leading the party’s campaign for the upcoming Sabah state elections, outlining that the party, along with its Pakatan Harapan coalition allies, are hoping to contest 13 seats. 

“In the context of the party leadership, we want to be the eyes and ears of the party members … we have to rough and tumble together, we can only achieve what we want if we do it together,” she said.

A RELIEF RETURNING TO “LIVING A PRIVATE LIFE”: RAFIZI 

In his first public comments since the results for the deputy presidency were confirmed, Rafizi said that he believed many party members felt frustrated and disillusioned with the outcome. 

“It will take time to shake off the sense that many years of dedication to PKR ideals have gone to waste,” said Rafizi in a statement released on his social media pages. 

Rafizi was absent during the proceedings for Saturday’s party congress. Party leaders confirmed that he had travelled back to Kuala Lumpur on Friday night after the results were announced. 

During the course of his campaign, Rafizi all but admitted defeat in the contest, taking aim at perceived irregularities in the internal party system for voting. 

Rafizi and party members aligned with him have previously raised concerns on voting irregularities - including vote rigging - which they claim have led to some of them losing their positions as divisional chiefs.

These include Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, who lost the Setiawangsa chief position in April and Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation Akmal Nasir, who lost as Johor Bahru divisional head the same month. 

Rafizi had earlier said that he would resign from his position in the Cabinet if he lost. In his latest statement, the minister of economy did not confirm outright that he would do this but hinted that he looked forward to having more time on his hands to spend with “ordinary Malaysians”. 

“Honestly, I don’t feel that bad. If anything, I feel a great deal of relief that I can return to living a private life, away from the shenanigans of the corridors of power,” said the 47-year-old. 

“I did not join PKR for public office or ministerial positions - let alone for financial gain. I understand that Anwar Ibrahim’s fate is intertwined with PKR’s, but I believe PKR’s relevance transcends Anwar or any one personality,” he added. 

Rafizi added that after serving 27 years in the party, he believed that PKR’s efforts are still “a work in progress”. 

“We have made substantial contributions to the coming of age of Malaysians as a mature society, yet we are still far from achieving the ideal we espoused,” he said.