Malaysia election: Anwar Ibrahim hints that daughter will defend family seat
GEORGE TOWN - It is highly likely that Ms Nurul Izzah Anwar will defend the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat in Malaysia’s upcoming general election.
“The possibility is in that direction (Nurul defending Permatang Pauh), a big possibility, a very big one,” opposition chief Anwar Ibrahim said during a press conference at a fundraising dinner for Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) in Penang on Saturday evening.
Earlier, there had been talk that his daughter Nurul Izzah would contest in Ampang, with PKR Wanita chief Senator Fadhlina Sidek replacing her in Permatang Pauh.
Ms Nurul Izzah had previously voiced her intention to defend her Permatang Pauh seat in the upcoming polls, but added that party leaders would have the final say on seat allocation.
“I hope that I will not be dropped from being a candidate here (Permatang Pauh),” she said at another event last month, according to Bernama.
In the last general election in 2018, she won the seat after defeating Datuk Mohd Zaidi Said from Barisan Nasional (BN) and Mr Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden from Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) with a 15,668-vote majority. Mr Anwar was then still in jail on a contentious sodomy charge before he walked free after receiving a royal pardon following the election.
Permatang Pauh in Penang has been a safe seat for the Anwar family since Mr Anwar won it in 1982 under UMNO. His wife Wan Azizah stood in for him and defended the seat when he was jailed in 1999 after a fallout with then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.
On seat negotiations between Pakatan Harapan’s component parties, Mr Anwar said it was mostly done with only a few more still being discussed.
“After discussions are completed, each state election committee will start the vetting process before it comes to me,” he said.
Also present at the dinner were Ms Nurul Izzah, Penang Pakatan chairman Chow Kon Yeow and other state Pakatan leaders. About 2,500 PKR members and supporters attended the dinner. - THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
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