PKR has given its deputy president Nurul Izzah Anwar an open-ended period of leave to continue her studies, with the party stressing that she remains free to return to her political duties when she is ready.
PKR Secretary General Datuk Dr Fuziah Salleh said the party had deliberately imposed no deadline on Nurul Izzah's leave, recognising the importance of her academic commitments alongside her previous contributions to the party.
“So far, we have not set a time limit for the deputy president to take leave because she wants to continue her studies and, God willing, we are ready to welcome her back when she is ready to resume her duties,” Fuziah said.
She was speaking to reporters after attending the opening of the 2026 PKR National Congress for the Women's wing and Angkatan Muda Keadilan (AMK), officiated by Nurul Izzah at the Melaka International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITC) today.
Fuziah said Nurul Izzah would first complete her responsibilities related to the party congress before beginning her leave next week. These include officiating the AMK and Women's congresses, before attending the main PKR National Congress, which begins tomorrow and runs until Sunday.
Nurul Izzah had previously expressed her intention to step down as PKR deputy president, but the party's Central Leadership Council rejected her resignation.
PKR information chief Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil had said the decision followed Nurul Izzah's request for time to attend to personal matters and continue her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) studies.
At the opening of the AMK and Women's congress earlier today, Nurul Izzah said she remained committed to the struggle for reform but would pursue it through a different platform.
“I choose to continue fighting, not directly within the party, but through the MADANI society pathway,” she said.
PKR cannot remain a strong political force if it allows internal divisions and competing power structures to consume its energy, deputy president Nurul Izzah Anwar said.
Nurul Izzah warned against the emergence of factions that could undermine the party from within.
“We cannot be strong as an organisation if there is a party within the party, two captains steering one ship, or the existence of an invisible hand, a hidden power structure behind the visible power structure,” she said in her opening address.
She said the party could not afford to allow internal disputes to divert its attention from its broader political mission.
Nurul Izzah said every hour spent fighting among party members represented time that could otherwise be spent building public support and strengthening the party's position.
“We cannot be strong as an organisation” if the party's energy continued to be consumed by internal conflict, she cautioned.
Nurul Izzah said PKR's attention should instead remain focused on democratising the economy, competing to deliver positive outcomes for Malaysians and securing electoral victories.
She acknowledged that achieving these objectives would not always be easy, but said the party needed to maintain its focus and discipline if it wanted to remain relevant.
Her remarks come amid a period of internal change for PKR, following several high-profile departures from the party, including former leaders Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.
Nurul Izzah herself recently became the subject of political uncertainty after expressing an intention to step down as deputy president. However, the party's Central Leadership Council rejected her resignation and subsequently gave her time to attend to personal matters and continue her Doctor of Philosophy studies.
Nurul Izzah's call for unity adds to growing pressure on PKR leaders to resolve internal differences while maintaining the party's focus on its reform agenda and preparations for future elections.
Meanwhile, Fuziah said representatives from 25 foreign embassies had confirmed their attendance at the PKR National Congress tomorrow.
Delegates will debate five motions, comprising the president's policy speech and four motions submitted by the Central Leadership Council covering the economy and political stability, healthcare, national unity and efforts to strengthen the party.
“The president's policy speech and the four motions from the MPP will be open for debate by representatives from 14 states, and this year we have added four more representatives from the veteran, Persons with Disabilities (OKU), Orang Asli and Borneo categories,” she said.
The congress will also feature the presentation of the Bill Kayong Award, with five recipients identified to receive the annual honour.
Fuziah said PKR would also recognise the branch with the highest membership registration over the past year, alongside a special award for the branch with the highest number of new branches registered between March and July.
She also expressed appreciation to the director of the 2026 National Congress, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, for overseeing the organisation and planning of the congress.
The PKR National Congress, which began yesterday, is scheduled to conclude on Sunday.
The congress is being held against the backdrop of questions over the party's internal cohesion, leadership direction and its role within the MADANI Government. - August 14, 2026
