Expect criticism if Nurul Izzah runs for deputy presidency, says Azmin

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal and G Manimaran

October 08, 2010

Azmin (right) meets Nurul (left) at an event last month. - Picture by Choo Choy May

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 8 — PKR deputy presidency candidate Azmin Ali cautioned his party today that criticisms from outside the 12-year old party will mount if Nurul Izzah Anwar decides to run for the party No 2 post.

Azmin, who is PKR vice-president, said that he would not be surprised should there be accusations of PKR being a “family dynasty”, saying that “in politics, criticisms cannot be avoided.”

“Well, in politics criticisms cannot be avoided. We will have to justify the participation of Nurul Izzah in the party, but as far as I am concerned, I welcome any decision,” said Azmin.

PKR deputy presidential candidate Datuk Zaid Ibrahim announced yesterday that he would withdraw from the race for the party’s No. 2 post if Nurul Izzah joins the contest.

Zaid said the Lembah Pantai MP had enough nominations for the deputy presidency to contest.

But Nurul Izzah told The Malaysian Insider last night that she will only decide whether to contest for the PKR deputy presidency this Sunday after consulting with “party elders”.

Azmin claimed today that the issue of nepotism and cronyism did not arise within the party and said that should Nurul Izzah decide to contest for the post, it was because she deserved to do so.

“There is no issue of cronyism or nepotism within the party. Nurul Izzah has articulated her position on many issues, she is an asset to the party. When her father (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) was behind bars, she contributed a lot to the party.

“Nurul Izzah has a strong appeal, especially with the younger generation,” said Azmin.

But the Gombak MP said that the onus was on the Lembah Pantai MP to decide whether she was “ready” for the deputy presidency.

“Knowing Izzah, she will consult party leaders before deciding on anything,” Azmin told The Malaysian Insider.

The hotly-contested race for the party deputy presidency has resulted in internal chaos within the party, as accusations of sabotage have been thrown around.

Azmin is leading the race in nominations from 102 divisions, followed by Zaid’s 38, and vice-president Mustaffa Kamil Ayub’s 17.

Zaid has claimed that he was a victim of personal attacks within powerful forces in the party who were against his tilt for the party’s No 2 post, to be vacated by incumbent Senator Dr Syed Husin Ali.

Today, Azmin questioned Zaid’s logic for wanting to vacate his candidacy for Nurul.

“None of the party members know what he is up to. Zaid has to explain to the party members what he is trying to do,” said Azmin.

Mustaffa echoed Azmin’s remarks on Nurul Izzah running for the party’s deputy presidency, and added that he had already met her yesterday to discuss the matter.

“I believe that she will have to think carefully before making any decision. And, yes I met her yesterday to discuss on this matter. Not really advice, but (I met her) to share some information...So we will see on October 16 (what happens),” Mustaffa told The Malaysian Insider.

Mustaffa said that Nurul Izzah needed to consider the fact that her mother, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, would most likely retain her position as party president.

“This is a democratic party, and of course you need to think about the consequences and perception because there is a big possibility that Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah will most likely retain her post as president, if not Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim,” said Mustaffa.

The PKR man claimed that would be some negative perception should the party president and the deputy president come from the “same family.”

Nurul Izzah is currently in the running for one of the vice-president’s post with 26 other qualified candidates.

The eldest daughter of Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and party president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail had defended her bid for the vice-presidency and stressed that she did not plan to continue a family dynasty.

Instead she expressed hopes to pursue her own ideals, which were separate from either of her parents.

Nurul Izzah was popularly called “Puteri Reformasi” in the aftermath of her father’s sacking, arrest and conviction for corruption and sodomy in 1998, successfully parlaying her popularity to win the Lembah Pantai seat in Election 2008.