PKR polls: Nurul Izzah losing doesn't mean members reject Anwar – Saifuddin

Summary

• Saifuddin does not believe Nurul Izzah losing party polls will equate to a rejection of her father as party president.

• Ex-PKR sec-gen stresses Anwar has his own standing, given the party was formed after the latter’s sacking as DPM in 1998.

• As for Rafizi Ramli urging his supporters to back Nurul Izzah, Saifuddin says such a scenario is unique to PKR.

A former PKR secretary-general has dismissed the notion that if Nurul Izzah Anwar fails to become party deputy president, it would mean a rejection of Anwar Ibrahim as party president as well.

Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said he did not see it that way, as “Anwar has his own standing.”

“PKR was formed after what happened to him… his body on Sept 2, 1998,” he told the press after attending the Home Ministry’s monthly meeting in Putrajaya today.

Yesterday, PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli urged his supporters to vote for Nurul Izzah in the upcoming party central leadership election.

Speaking at a ceramah in Kedah, he said PKR cannot afford to have Nurul Izzah lose the race as she is the party president’s daughter.

"Let's say Nurul Izzah loses, what signal would it send to the rakyat? This is just an example.

"If she loses, it will send a message that PKR members reject Anwar. That is why Nurul Izzah must win. She has to.

"If Nurul Izzah loses, people would say Anwar has been rejected by his own party. So what choice do you have here?" he said.

Nurul Izzah submitted her nomination for the number two post on May 9, following overwhelming endorsements from various levels of the party for her to contest.

Anwar was sacked as deputy prime minister in 1998 during Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s first premiership.

He was later arrested and assaulted by then-inspector-general of police Rahim Noor, which led to massive protests in the nation’s capital and the formation of then-Parti Keadilan Nasional, the precursor to PKR.

‘Uniquely PKR’

Queried on Rafizi’s call for his supporters to vote for Nurul Izzah, Saifuddin described it as a unique approach which only existed in PKR.

“I followed his speech and he even asked his supporters to vote for Nurul Izzah.

“This is unique. Where have you seen a leader saying… ‘I’m your opponent but I want my supporters to back you’?

“Have you seen this in other political parties? It only happens in PKR,” the home minister added.

On why he was not contesting for the post, Saifuddin stressed that his priority has always been party stability.

As a long-time PKR member, he noted the need for continuous engagement among the party’s top leaders, with his task being a “moderating voice”.

“I’m still serving as the Pakatan Harapan secretary-general and have responsibilities toward four coalitions, managing the ‘engine room’ and handling Harapan’s day-to-day affairs.

“And I’m also a member of the PKR political bureau. With all that, I can still play a role,” Saifuddin added.

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