KUALA LUMPUR – Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar today announced that she will not be contesting in the upcoming PKR elections, choosing instead to direct her attention towards Ayuh Malaysia, a political initiative aimed at revitalising her party and the Pakatan Harapan (PH) opposition coalition.
She announced her decision in a Facebook post, saying that her struggle will be to win over undecided voters through the Ayuh Malaysia platform.
“Give me space to fully drive the Ayuh Malaysia movement,” said Nurul Izzah, who is also called Puteri Reformasi by her supporters.
Ayuh Malaysia was set up by former Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli and launched on March 26 with the backing of Nurul Izzah, Ledang MP Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh, Johor Baru MP Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir and Tg Malim MP Chang Lih Kang.
Nurul Izzah, who in December 2018 resigned as PKR vice-president and from all other party posts, said her decision then was to push back against the “heat of betrayal” that was already evident long before the eventual coup that led to the fall of the PH federal administration just over a year later.
She said that politics alone may not be enough for PKR to recoup the public support it had lost when a large swathe of party MPs defected.
The party must close ranks and leverage on the many strengths of the various party wings to move forward with the agenda of strengthening the party, said Nurul Izzah, who is the eldest daughter of PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
PKR’s party elections scheduled for May 13 to 18 are expected to be a contentious affair, with former party strategist Rafizi Ramli returning to the fold to contest the deputy presidency.
Rafizi will be up against at least one rival, secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
The vice-presidential race will also be hotly contested, with a crowded field that includes party information chief Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin, Selangor menteri besar and state PKR chairman Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari and Negri Sembilan menteri besar and state PKR chairman Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun. – The Vibes, April 12, 2022
