Ex-PKR man questions Nurul Izzah's track record in policymaking
PETALING JAYA : As Nurul Izzah Anwar attempts to become PKR deputy president, a former PKR Youth leader said her performance and policy record, not her political pedigree, should be under scrutiny.
Dr Afif Bahardin, who joined Bersatu after quitting PKR in 2020, said Nurul Izzah had yet to demonstrate the leadership, initiative or policy vision expected of a national-level leader.
Afif criticised her past roles in government, including her brief 2018 appointment to lead a special committee under the education ministry on strengthening technical and vocational education and training (TVET).
'Not only did she fail to deliver any policies or meaningful ideas, she even 'ran away' from the responsibility halfway through,' he said in a Facebook post today.
He also took aim at her current role as co-chair of the secretariat assisting Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's advisory committee in the finance ministry.
'Throughout that period (of two years), no major policy was launched under her name, and no structural reform has been linked to her role,' he said, adding that the appointment itself had also triggered controversy over family ties within government.
Afif warned against promoting leaders based solely on political pedigree, calling it a betrayal of meritocratic values, especially at a time when Malaysians were grappling with economic hardship and political fatigue.
He pointed to Nurul Izzah's defeat in the 2022 general election in Permatang Pauh, a seat held by her father Anwar since 1982, as a sign that voters were growing tired of 'legacy politics without added value'.
'Politics is not an arena for inherited thrones. It is a platform of public trust. And that trust cannot be bought with a family name. It must be built with performance and integrity,' he said.
'If Nurul Izzah truly wishes to be seen as a genuine leader, she must step out from her father's shadow, face criticism, and come forward with fresh ideas, concrete policies and the ability to build grassroots support based on confidence, not nostalgia.'
Nurul Izzah will face incumbent Rafizi Ramli in the race for the deputy presidency. However, her candidacy has been marred by criticisms of nepotism.
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