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

“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.