Anwar Defends Family S Role In Pkr Denies Nepotism

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PKR president Anwar Ibrahim has brushed off allegations of nepotism involving the roles played by his family members in the party, stressing that their involvement came during times of crisis when PKR’s struggle was being tested.
Addressing delegates at the close of the PKR national congress in Johor Bahru today, Anwar revisited the tumultuous period during his imprisonment, saying his wife, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, had to step up under difficult circumstances.
“People can say wife, daughter… but when we were in the thick of battle, there wasn’t even a congress. When I went to prison, Wan Azizah took over. Back then, the issue of nepotism never came up,” he said.
Desperate times, desperate measures
Anwar added that the decision to hand over the reins to Wan Azizah was made at a desperate time, with limited resources and no strong political machinery in place.
Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail“I just handed it over, there were no funds, no machinery. At the time, no one talked about family or nepotism. I only thought about who could hold the torch while I was imprisoned,” he said.
He noted that the decision, made in a short time, ended up lasting far longer than initially expected.
“I was in a very precarious position, with only a few hours or days before being jailed. We all thought it would be for a few months, but it turned out to be years,” said Anwar.
‘Nurul Izzah dropped out of university’
He also recalled how his daughter, Nurul Izzah Anwar, had to abandon her studies to support the party’s struggle at a young age.
“In that situation, Nurul Izzah had to leave university and step up as an adult. But even then, I never heard anyone mention nepotism,” he said.
Newly elected PKR deputy president Nurul Izzah AnwarAnwar stressed that while Wan Azizah was appointed by him in a time of crisis, Nurul Izzah’s rise in the party was the decision of party members.
ADS“Wan Azizah, yes, I chose her at the time. But Nurul Izzah was chosen by all of you. So carry on with your work,” he said.
His remarks appeared to be a direct response to critics who have questioned the extent of his family’s involvement in PKR’s leadership.
Anwar urged delegates to put aside such issues and instead reflect on the party’s history and the sacrifices made over the years.
Nurul Izzah was officially declared the new PKR deputy president, defeating incumbent Rafizi Ramli in the central leadership election last night.
The results were announced by PKR election committee chairperson Dr Zaliha Mustafa and received with chants of “Reformasi” at the Persada International Convention Centre.
According to Zaliha, Nurul Izzah secured 9,803 votes in a race that saw around 15,000 delegates casting their ballots online and in person.
- Mkini

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