Wan Fayhsal: Nurul Izzah qualified for Sidec role, not nepotism

Summary

• Bersatu leader Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal defends Nurul Izzah Anwar’s appointment as Sidec adviser, citing her engineering background.

• He argues that her being the daughter of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is an advantage rather than a conflict, declaring that nepotism is no longer an issue in the current government.

• Nurul Izzah previously faced accusations of nepotism after winning PKR’s deputy presidency, but both she and Anwar have denied these claims.

Bersatu supreme council member Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal defended Nurul Izzah Anwar's appointment as the adviser to Selangor Information Technology & Digital Economy Corporation (Sidec).

He pointed to her qualifications, including her degree in engineering, as evidence that she has what it takes to further grow Sidec.

“I think Nurul Izzah is the best person (for the job),” he told Malaysiakini.

Dismissing allegations of nepotism, he said Nurul Izzah’s position as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s daughter was a mere bonus that would help smoothen her role in Sidec.

“I don’t see any problem,” he added.

“Nepotism is no longer a problem in this government.”

Last Thursday (July 3), Sidec announced that Nurul Izzah was appointed as its adviser as it believed she would bring valuable insights into public policy, socio-economic development, and digital empowerment.

Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari said her experience and role in developing the nation’s semiconductor industry would be an asset in developing the sector in Selangor.

‘I stand on my own’

Nurul Izzah recently battled allegations of nepotism after wresting PKR’s deputy presidency from Rafizi Ramli.

On the eve of the party election, she rebutted such claims, saying she stands on her own for the causes she believes in.

After a heated campaign, she beat Rafizi in a landslide that saw the then economy minister bag just 28 percent of votes.

Afterwards, Anwar, who is both the PKR president and its founder, brushed off claims of nepotism involving his family members in the party.

He stressed that while his wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail was appointed by him in a time of crisis, Nurul Izzah’s rise in the party was the decision of party members.

Anwar added that Nurul Izzah had to abandon her studies to support the party’s struggle at a young age.

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