BUKIT MERTAJAM – Penang PKR chief Nurul Izzah Anwar continues her struggles despite her stunning loss in Permatang Pauh during last year’s general election, determined to fight the numerous misconceptions about politics in the country.
Instead of ascending to a higher plateau of going into politics to predominantly serve the community, politics has now descended into one riddled with slander, lies, and miscues.
And for this, Nurul Izzah sees the need to fight harder, focusing on what counts in the lives of the average person.
Nurul Izzah was seen in some of the six states facing elections this Saturday to bring a message of faith, honesty in politics, and most importantly institutional reforms in areas which are badly in need of it.
Reforms are needed to fight widespread corruption, abuses of power, and other unjust practices.
Earlier in Seremban, Nurul Izzah told an audience that an election is about selecting the best candidate who can deliver – and not just social media personalities.
She reiterated that in Langkawi, imploring voters to choose candidates who can represent their voices, rather than individuals who only have the gift of the gab and exhibit a “loqlaq” attitude (Penang dialect for crude).
Referring to the upcoming state elections, Nurul Izzah, who is also a PKR vice-president, stated that elections are not a contest to find leaders masquerading as entertainers on TikTok.
“The current elections are quite challenging, especially in this era of widespread TikTok (social media) usage. It’s as if we are dragged into a competition of who can be the loudest and most offensive. Instead, we should be seeking state assembly members (assemblymen) who are committed to work, seek investments, and develop the economy,” she said.
Nurul Izzah, who also heads the Kedah and Perlis PKR leadership committee, said that the determination of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional coalition to win in Kedah was to safeguard the welfare of its inhabitants.
“Kedah needs a government that is aligned and in harmony with the federal government to facilitate the implementation of all planned projects. If the people in Kedah suffer from misgovernance, the rest of the country is also impacted as we are after all one nation.”
Therefore, candidates in elections must be serious-minded people, as they possess the vision and determination to help the people, said Nurul Izzah.
Despite hurting after losing her Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat, which has stayed with the family through her father Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and her mother Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail since 1982, their eldest daughter pledges to continue the family’s struggles, which has gone on for over two decades.
In Permatang Pauh, she is lending support to Seberang Jaya candidate Johari Ismail, Penanti candidate Rohsidi Hussin, and Permatang Pasir candidate Faiz Fadzil (Amanah), the son of former PAS president the late Datuk Fadzil Noor.
Nurul Izzah in a recent interview, said she wanted voters to think through the barrage of social media postings and the lies in ceramahs, especially through the devious intentions of some sides to further polarise the nation through the 3Rs of race, religion, and royalty.
“Think of the country’s future. Do we need leaders, who just preach through social media but do not do anything concrete to help in nation building.”
She also wants voters to think about the need to fight climate change with protection of the environment as among the priorities of any government. – The Vibes, August 8, 2023
