Wan Azizah mulls quitting politics once Anwar becomes PM
INTERVIEW | Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail says she is considering retiring from active politics once her husband Anwar Ibrahim becomes the prime minister.
"I will not go into active politics, I think. (I will stay) until I finish my term (as Pandan MP)...
INTERVIEW | Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail says she is considering retiring from active politics once her husband Anwar Ibrahim becomes the prime minister.
"I will not go into active politics, I think. (I will stay) until I finish my term (as Pandan MP).
"Probably, I will be much more involved in looking over his shoulder," she said when asked about her political future during a recent interview to mark Pakatan Harapan's first year in office.
Elaborating, Wan Azizah said she planned to continue being a "very responsible citizen," and believes she can still contribute to nation-building through other means.
Malaysia's first female deputy prime minister also holds the women, family and community development portfolio, and is the president of Pakatan Harapan.
According to an agreement reached between Harapan component parties before last year's general election, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad will be succeeded by Anwar, his one-time political nemesis.
However, an actual date or transition plan has yet to be revealed.
Mahathir himself has hinted that he could stay on for longer if necessary, while Anwar has repeatedly stressed that he is in no hurry to take up the reins.
The overnight politician
Wan Azizah, an ophthalmologist by training, was thrust into the political scene in 1999 when Anwar was first sacked as deputy prime minister and later jailed under the first Mahathir administration.
She subsequently stood for and won the by-election in his vacated seat of Permatang Pauh.
Since then, Wan Azizah has helped helm the Reformasi movement as a key figure in PKR, the party Anwar founded.
She rose up to become the party president after her husband was jailed for sodomy again in 2014.
In the interview, Wan Azizah reminisced on how everything has come full circle over the span of 20 years.
"It has come back, like one whole circle," she said.
"When it happened a long time ago, I was a wife. And right now, somehow, I have been thrown into this position and given this responsibility and duty.
"But having been where I've been, (and gone through) what I've gone through, I think I can (still) contribute."
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Finally you are saying one sensible statement. Pls quit. You are a burden to taxpayers.
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