PKR president and the party’s candidate for Permatang Pauh Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has struck back at MCA vice-president Chew Mei Fun, asking Chew why she was not supporting a woman candidate like her.

Wan Azizah said she was a three-term MP at Permatang Pauh and the first female opposition leader in the country.

“Does this mean Chew is not supporting a woman?

“Aren't you proud, as a woman, that a woman was an opposition leader of Malaysia? I am not contesting only because of Anwar, but for the people.

“Let the voters of Permatang Pauh decide whether I am best to represent them,” Wan Azizah said after the qazaf proceedings of her husband.

Chew had questioned Wan Azizah’s antics on going back to Kuala Lumpur and not being with the voters.

“People should realise by now that when they elect a representative, that should actually represent the people and not any family member,” the MCA vice-president said.

'It is because of injustice done to Anwar'

Wan Azizah said she would be in Permatang Pauh later in the day, after Anwar's qazaf case.

"I have met some of my old voters and they are happy to see me. Some say they rindu (miss) me. It gives me a lot of strength and support.

"It is because of the injustice done to Anwar, that you deny him the right to represent the people," said the medical doctor who specialised in ophthalmology .

"They have been the one (the authorities and BN) who have been playing with the rules and regulations to deny the right of Anwar (to represent them).

"I am coming out to do my bid to help in the democracy and the future of our country,” Wan Azizah said, and added a call to the people to please pray for her strength to carry on with the struggle.

She and her family, along with Anwar's lawyers, spent about an hour with the PKR de facto leader, who arrived in court under heavy police escort.

Later this afternoon, Chew, in a response to Wan Azizah’s remarks, said PKR must not play the gender card to attack MCA, especially when PKR’s inability to deliver has been proven.

Chew said she was “saddenned” by Wan Azizah’s verbal attack against her, adding that the PKR candidate was attempting to “elicit sympathy” to draw in ballots during her campaign.

“She may boast that she was the first female opposition leader in the Dewan Rakyat.

“However, the real issue on gender equality is truly upheld when women elected as leaders to represent the rakyat perform  their own roles and independently stand up for the rakyat in Parliament,” Chew ( standing, left ) said in a statement.

Arguing that it was obvious Wan Azizah was just a “puppet” of Anwar, Chew went on to list three examples of how the husband-and-wife team have been fighting issues only for their own political interest.

Chew cited Wan Azizah’s resignation as Permatang Pauh MP on July 31, 2008, to pave the way for a by-election to restore Anwar’s political career.

On March 9, 2013, Wan Azizah replaced Anwar to contest the Kajang by-election, which was vacated by the sudden resignation of the former PKR assemblyperson, Lee Chin Cheh.

“After an absence of seven years, Wan Azizah now revisits Permatang Pauh to contest as one of the candidates for this by-election, representing PKR,” added Chew, now an MCA senator and who was defeated by Wan Azizah in the Kajang by-election.

“History never lies. Wan Azizah and PKR did not mislead her voters not just once, but three times,” Chew added.