In an interview with the Straits Times over the weekend, Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar spoke about her feelings following the historic events of GE14.
In the interview, she shared that she nursed a “broken heart” as she found it difficult to work with someone who sent her father to prison nearly 20 years ago. She added that she would be serving her final term as MP due to her disappointment with the current Pakatan Harapan (PH) government’s efforts.
Source: Harian Metro
She said in the interview,
“We were campaigning and trying very hard to solidify a coalition in order to win so that we can fulfil our promises. Winning elections per se, I did want my father, who was a political prisoner, to be freed but I also equally wanted Malaysia to be further democratised, for our reform agenda to succeed so that we could really unleash the potential for all Malaysians.”
“I believe one of the ways to ensure we check against the possible excesses of any leader is to have strong independent institutions, and in Malaysia, the prime minister in his office wields extremely strong and powerful influence over the other agencies. Some would term as a Leviathan, it basically tries to emasculate all the other different agencies and branches of government.”
“But that’s why we need to change it so at the end of the day there are still ways to ensure that the prime minister is tied to follow a clear-cut reform agenda, respect the sanctity of the Constitution, and in turn the executives or the stakeholders in his midst.”
Source: The Straits Times
“Having to work with a former dictator who wreaked so much damage, not just on our lives, but the system. It was not easy.”
“I really wanted the supremacy of the reform agenda to be our main focus and I always believe in a lot of goodness in people but I also think it’s important for people to prove themselves.”
“It was difficult, it was not easy. We went to prison, there were so many years we were not just denied access to our father, but the Muslim celebrations, the moments, and he was innocent. People have to realise that.”
“Why did I bother going all the way, taking time off my studies, filing a case with the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, going to Geneva for the Human Rights Council, making interventions? He was innocent, I was not doing this just because he’s my father and it’s very important because you take a principle position. That’s what my father taught me.”
Source: Astro Awani
“When you’re in government, you have to hold yourself to a higher standard, I had to make the right decision, and so I did.”
“I just worry for Malaysia of course. I want moderate policies to be strong. I think we’re better than the current discourse that we’re stuck in.”
After her interview surfaced online, lawyer N. Surendran, an adviser for Lawyers For Liberty, criticised Nurul Izzah for calling the prime minister a “former dictator”. He stated in a tweet that the Permatang Pauh MP’s statement came at a wrong time, as water sales agreement talks and maritime territorial disputes between Malaysia and Singapore were still ongoing.
Is this acceptable? In d middle of d escalating water agreement dispute & a serious ongoing territorial conflict, a prominent PH MP calls d PM a 'former dictator who wreaked so much damage' in an interview to a leading S'pore daily. The timing, platform & manner is all wrong. https://t.co/TUr8SzinI7
— N.Surendran (@nsurendrann) March 24, 2019
Economic Affairs Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali also indirectly criticised Nurul Izzah’s statement in a tweet that has garnered a lot of reactions from Malaysian netizens.
This country needs doers who are prepared to tough it out all the way, not cry babies. Whatever it takes, we must make it work. If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen.
— Mohamed Azmin Ali (@AzminAli) March 24, 2019
The Permatang Pauh MP resigned from all PKR party posts, including her position as chair of Penang PKR, in December 2018, and was quoted at the time of her announcement, saying,
“There are beliefs and ideals I hold dear and I feel that I can be most true to them by taking this course of action I am now announcing.”
Watch the full interview with Nurul Izzah here to find out more.
Also read: BREAKING: Nurul Izzah Just Resigned as PKR Vice President & Penang PKR Chairman
