VP bid about ‘Reformasi’ not family, says Nurul Izzah
By Debra Chong, The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 23 — Nurul Izzah Anwar announced today her bid for the PKR vice-presidency, which she said was prompted by nominations from members and not by any plan to forge a family dynasty in the party.
The eldest daughter of Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail stressed she was not running for the post to continue a family dynasty. Instead she hopes to pursue her own ideals, which were separate from either of her parents.
“I am the daughter of Anwar Ibrahim and I can’t erase that fact. But I am also the daughter of the Reformasi [movement],” Nurul Izzah stressed.
“In the spirit of Reformasi, I am forging ahead.
“I am my own person and I do not think anyone’s loyalty should be to any individual but to the party,” she added.
The mother of two denied she was backtracking on a previous statement to not gun for a senior post.
“I wouldn’t call it a reversal… after receiving nominations, I seriously considered offering myself,” Nurul Izzah explained adding she had received nominations from eight divisions as of yesterday.
She asserted that she had her own views on how Malaysian politics should move forward and running for the senior post was a way to show it.
“I think I represent the younger generation in the party,” the 30-year-old told reporters at her service centre in Lembah Pantai today.
Nurul Izzah stressed that she had witnessed the first “Reformasi” movement 12 years ago and the changes wrought since.
She disclosed to The Malaysian Insider she personally felt compelled to carry that struggle forward.
She related her personal dare to Perkasa, the truculent group fighting for what they view to be Malay constitutional rights, as a “risk…to engage the younger Malays and move forward”.
She explained she only wanted to complement the older voices in the top leadership.
“I’m not saying the top leadership does not know, but I hope I can add an extra voice for the younger generation,” the Lembah Pantai MP added.
Nurul Izzah is among 15 others who qualify for the party’s vice presidency.
Yesterday, PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail announced her name alongside Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, Chua Jui Meng, Chua Tian Chang, Fuziah Salleh, Dr Lee Boon Chye, Dr Mansor Osman, Azmin Ali, Yahya Saari, Mustaffa Kamil, Kapar PKR division vice-chief S. Manikavasagam, PKR Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Akin, R. Sivarasa, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, and Dr Xavier Jayakumar.
Nurul Izzah was first thrust into the limelight in 1998 after her father was sacked from government, arrested and booked on twin charges of sodomy and corruption.
Then only 18, she took an active part in the fight to free Anwar — a move that earned her the moniker “Puteri Reformasi”.
