Latest news with #PuteriReformasi
The Sun
24-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
‘Puteri Reformasi' now PKR deputy president
JOHOR BAHRU: Nurul Izzah Anwar has solidified her position in the top leadership of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) by winning the deputy president post for the 2025-2028 term, marking a significant milestone in her political journey. The success of the 'Puteri Reformasi' in securing the post from the sole contender and incumbent, Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli, reflects the grassroots' confidence in her role and ideals that she has championed since PKR was founded nearly three decades ago. Nurul Izzah won with 9,803 votes. Rising from the vice presidency, the 44-year-old Nurul Izzah has now ascended to the party's second-highest position and is regarded as a leading figure of PKR's new generation of leadership ahead of the 16th General Election (GE16). Nurul Izzah, the eldest daughter of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is also PKR president, and Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, held the vice-president post from 2010 until her resignation in 2018. During the party election in 2022, Nurul Izzah did not contest but was reappointed to the same post. After various rumours, she confirmed her candidacy for deputy president on May 9, taking into account the views of the grassroots. Prior to this, the Penang State Leadership Council chairman successfully retained her position as Permatang Pauh division chief in the 2025-2028 election. Nurul Izzah, who holds a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from Universiti Tenaga Nasional and a Master's degree in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University, USA, advanced her political career by winning the Lembah Pantai parliamentary seat in GE12, defeating the then-incumbent Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil. She retained the same seat in GE13 before shifting to Permatang Pauh, winning decisively in GE14, but lost in GE15. Throughout her political career, Nurul Izzah has been known as a vocal advocate for human rights, social justice, education, and institutional reform. She has consistently championed issues affecting women, children, and the B40 group in national policy discussions. She is also known for her values-driven approach to politics, rooted in principles and idealism, with a belief that politics is not merely a contest for power but a platform to advance justice and drive systemic change.
Free Malaysia Today
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Nurul Izzah's election bid a chance to strike her own path
Nurul Izzah Anwar, the daughter of PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, will face Rafizi Ramli in the race for the party's deputy presidency. PETALING JAYA : Nurul Izzah Anwar's bid for the PKR deputy presidency might have placed her squarely at the centre of a perceived party rift, but a political analyst says the bigger question is whether she can chart her own course or will remain tethered to her father's legacy. Syaza Shukri of the International Islamic Universiti Malaysia described Nurul Izzah as a pawn in a not-so-secret rivalry between her father, PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, and his deputy Rafizi Ramli. But Nurul Izzah, the former Permatang Pauh MP, could still flip the narrative and use it to her own advantage. 'Those who don't like Rafizi – and there are a lot of them – find Nurul Izzah more palatable as 'Puteri Reformasi',' Syaza told FMT. 'But can she truly be her own person, when many hands seem to be involved? Can she truly separate herself from her father and his loyalists?' Syaza said that while Nurul Izzah may have her own vision for the party, the situation presents her as a compromise between those seeking fresh talent and those advocating the continuation of her father's legacy. 'She can definitely use this opportunity to slowly establish herself as a leader in her own right. But in the end, she is in the Anwar camp,' she said. Anwar's blessing An intense showdown is shaping up between Nurul Izzah and Rafizi for the second-highest spot in PKR after nominations closed. Recent mishaps during the division-level elections – ranging from technical glitches to allegations of mismanagement of votes – have fuelled speculation that factions within the party are unhappy with Rafizi's leadership and have urged Nurul Izzah to enter the fray. Rafizi previously said that he was ready to step down from his party and Cabinet posts and focus on grassroots campaigning if he was not re-elected in the party polls. Akademi Nusantara analyst Azmi Hassan said the contest is 'no doubt a battle between two different factions' not just in terms of personality and ideology but also loyalty. 'Rafizi sometimes antagonises the president. Nurul Izzah is the daughter of the president. And the one pushing her candidacy is his political secretary, Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin,' he said, referring to a public declaration of support that Shamsul made on behalf of Melaka PKR divisions. 'That tells us Anwar has given his blessing.' Who will grassroot members support? Azmi said neither Rafizi nor Nurul Izzah truly represents the reformist ideal within PKR – Izzah due to her family connections and Rafizi for being disconnected from grassroot sentiment and public feedback. Syaza said the perception of nepotism is likely to weigh more heavily on Nurul Izzah, as it suggests that the daughter of a founding party member is moving away from the party's principles. But beyond personalities, both analysts said what's really at stake is PKR's credibility as a reformist party. 'It will look like a political dynasty and make us no different from our neighbours,' Syaza said, referring to DAP and the grip that father-son duo Lim Guan Eng and Lim Kit Siang have had on the party. Azmi said public perception would matter, and the sight of Nurul Izzah rising under her father's watch 'won't augur well for PKR, for its grassroots see this as nepotism'.
New Straits Times
08-05-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Ramanan: 150 PKR divisions back Nurul Izzah for deputy president post
Slug: iznurul HL: Ramanan: 150 PKR divisions back Nurul Izzah for deputy president post Fahmy A Rosli KUALA LUMPUR: More than 150 PKR divisions have expressed support for the nomination of Nurul Izzah Anwar for the post of deputy president in the upcoming party election. Revealing this, PKR deputy information chief Datuk Seri R. Ramanan said the support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's eldest daughter exceeds two-thirds of the party's branches nationwide. "In my view, this reflects the wishes of the grassroots. Although I have not made an official count, more than 150 divisions - two-thirds of the party - have nominated Nurul Izzah as deputy president," he said. He said this after attending the launch ceremony of the Asean Franchise Convention and the Malaysia International Exhibition 2025 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre today. At the same time, Ramanan, who is also the member of Parliament for Sungai Buloh, expressed his support for Nurul Izzah, widely known as Puteri Reformasi, to contest the party's second-highest post. He said that Nurul Izzah has extensive experience in politics, including her leadership credentials, which have earned her international recognition and a strong public image. He said it would be unfair to label the proposal for Nurul Izzah to contest as deputy president as nepotism or as an instance of "a family-run party". "Nurul Izzah is contesting through a democratic process, not by being directly appointed to the position. "We have 30,000 members - PKR leaders, including grassroots members - who will decide who becomes deputy president, vice-president, and members of the Central Leadership Council," he said.
The Star
07-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Nurul Izzah should be judged on merit, not weight of family name
IT IS inevitable that the question of family lineage involving Nurul Izzah Anwar would be brought up by her detractors even before she has made any announcement on whether she will make a bid for the party's number two post. The huge open endorsement by the leaders of the Parti Keadilan Rakyat for her has created much excitement. Until yesterday, the expectation was that incumbent deputy president Datuk Rafizi Ramli would be challenged by secretary-general Datuk Nasution Ismail. But as the clock ticks away, there has been no word from the Home Minister if there would be another bid to fight Rafizi following his failed attempt in the 2022 party polls. It has spurred party leaders to push Nurul, the former Permatang Pauh MP, to take on Rafizi. The talk for Nurul Izzah to contest the deputy president post has reignited the same tired discussion – is this a form of nepotism? The only argument against her is just one – she is the daughter of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the current Prime Minister and party president. Nothing else. No one including her critics questions her abilities, principles and hard-work. She does not push her weight across unlike some political personalities who think the family name is an entitlement. Without holding any government positions, she has quietly shouldered the party work as well as her activism. She has championed issues often overlooked — educational equity, women's empowerment, technical and vocational education and training, institutional reform and the plight of the Palestinians. So, the attacks against her deserve deeper scrutiny. It assumes, wrongly, that familial ties automatically disqualify a person from public leadership, regardless of merit, sacrifice, or contribution. That assumption is both unjust and undemocratic. Nurul Izzah Anwar is not new to the political arena. She did not arrive at this moment by shortcut or favour. She entered politics at a time when her father was imprisoned, not in power. In short, at a time when not many wanted to join PKR. She stood in difficult constituencies, such as Lembah Pantai, against formidable odds. Nurul Izzah was thrust into politics, at the age of 18, took to street protests and earned the moniker 'Puteri Reformasi' when Anwar was jailed on trumped up charges. It would be grossly unfair that capable individuals like her are denied the right to do more simply because of political lineage or to withdraw from holding posts in public service. As one report put it, this is not how democracy should work. We should judge candidates not by who they are related to, but by what they have done, what they stand for, and what they aspire to achieve. Nepotism is when individuals are handed power without merit, accountability, or process, it added. If Nurul Izzah has been sitting at home, watching Korean TV dramas and just being a homemaker, oblivious to politics and the party, and then suddenly is asked to contest the deputy president post because of her family name, then it is clear cut nepotism. She is contesting, not inheriting, if it happens, and it won't be an easy contest. Nurul Izzah has to win the post and not be appointed. The decision lies with the members of her party, through a proper democratic election. As a candidate, she must be assessed, evaluated, commended or even criticised based on her ideas, record, and vision. Not because of her name, but because of her merit. But here is the irony – criticism of her family lineage did not surface when she was said to defend her vice-president post but suddenly it changed, among her critics, when it is just a notch up. But more importantly, Nurul Izzah has offered hope to young voters with her decision.
New Straits Times
23-04-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Nurul Izzah: PKR's reform agenda still thrives
KUALA LUMPUR: The eldest child of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Nurul Izzah, has stated that the reform agenda championed by her father since the founding of PKR, now 26 years old, remains very much alive. Known as the 'Puteri Reformasi', Nurul Izzah said that the struggle for reform has faced criticism and ridicule from some, who have labelled it as 'reformati' or 'reforbasi'. She said that the implementation of the reform agenda requires time and urged the PKR team to ensure that the important cause is not forgotten. "Absolutely, it is true that PKR's reform agenda has faced criticism. I believe it is important for us to address and question this," she said. "We are all part of the team. We always provide space for everyone. We need to critically think about ways to improve." "So, the issue is the criticism that we want to build. We must do it for the party and the country. Yes, we cannot say that everything we do is right. No." "Every generation will have its struggles. We cannot say that this reform has been buried. We must revive it through our actions and decisions," she told BH during the Borak Harini podcast. PKR was established in 1999. It emerged as a political movement advocating for justice, reform, and democracy in Malaysia. Izzah, a former Member of Parliament for Lembah Pantai, added that there are no shortcuts to implementing the reform agenda. According to Nurul, the need for courage is crucial for all parties, especially PKR members, to ensure that the goals align with the principles previously outlined. "In terms of what we do, the most important thing is the direction. "I can only share what I feel. I've always believed that in life, we are given just this one opportunity, and we must make the most of it. "If we followed our hearts, everyone would naturally choose the easier path. But at the same time, we see our fellow people going through difficult and challenging experiences, and that's why we need to gather the strength to be brave ourselves," she said.
