The eldest daughter of jailed ex-Malaysian deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim has dropped plans to contest March 21 elections fearing she may be expelled from university, a party official said today.

Nurul Izzah, 24, popularly known as the 'Princess of Reformasi', faces final-year examinations a week after the polls, said Tian Chua, vice-president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (Keadilan) headed by Anwar's wife Wan Azizah Wah Ismail.

"Reformasi" or reforms was Anwar's battle cry after he was sacked and detained in 1998.

"She is two weeks away from graduation. The Universities and University Colleges Act bars students from getting involved in politics and she will be expelled from campus if she contests. Her family feels it is better for her not to contest," Tian Chua said.

Nurul Izzah was earlier rumoured to contest in the Kuala Lumpur parliamentary seat of Lembah Pantai against against incumbent and Wanita Umno deputy chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, who scraped through in 1999 with a slim majority of 1,454 votes.

Young voters

If Nurul Izzah had run in the polls, it would have been a boon to Keadilan in terms of support from younger voters and women, he said.

Wan Azizah, who made her debut in 1999 elections, will defend her parliamentary seat in northern Penang state, he added.

Anwar 1998, is serving a 15-year-jail sentence on corruption and sodomy charges which he claimed were trumped up to prevent him challenging former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad after he was sacked.

Both the United States and Amnesty International regard him as a political prisoner. - AFP