This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly on November 14, 2022 - November 20, 2022

AFTER more than two decades in politics, Permatang Pauh member of parliament Nurul Izzah Anwar is seen by some as a potential prime minister. In any event, she remains one of the most promising women leaders to watch for in the 15th general election (GE15).

Her charismatic personality and idealism were evident in an interview with The Edge, where she talked about the importance of reformation and the need for checks and balances if Malaysia is to reach her true potential.

“The road to reform is not paved with easy wins. I believe that if you want to talk about social justice or meaningful change, it is only defined through persistence and determination,” she declares.

Touching on her short stint in the 22-month Pakatan Harapan (PH) government, which came to an end in February 2020 after then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad abruptly resigned from the post and a number of PH lawmakers — mostly from her party PKR — defected to other parties, Nurul Izzah says that while the outcome was unexpected, it was a learning curve for the coalition.

“The main sacrifice was actually by the rakyat because they voted for the change. So you talk about six decades of (the same) government, but that has changed because of what the rakyat did.

“We (PH) did that (change) and it was a peaceful transition. While it didn’t really turn out as we had hoped, it was instructive to showcase that there will be a better future ahead.”

The loss of PH lawmakers resulted in the Perikatan Nasional coalition led by Bersatu’s Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin taking over Putrajaya.

A vice-president of PKR, Nurul Izzah describes the event as a painful, albeit necessary part of change and reform in the country’s political scene.

“The turn of events you can see through the introduction of the anti-hopping bill. In a way, every party is pushed to a corner to adopt this,” she says of the bill, which can trace its beginnings to the abrupt change of government that left voters angry and disillusioned with the electoral system.

PKR, one of the main parties in the PH coalition, has announced that it will be contesting in 70 parliamentary seats in GE15.

Nurul Izzah will be defending the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat. The seat in Penang has been a bastion for PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his family, including daughter Nurul Izzah, since 1982.

If voter sentiment remains unchanged from GE14, Nurul Izzah ought to win comfortably given that she romped home with a 15,000 majority then. However, the number of voters is nearly a third or 31% more, this time around.

Nurul Izzah believes the PH coalition has undergone a tumultuous internal cleansing in the wake of the so-called Sheraton Move in 2020, followed by a party election that has further strengthened the coalition.

“You have to draw a line when it comes to principles. So within PH and PKR, these (those still in the party) are the remaining reformists and we are trying to do our best to welcome anyone who is willing to be part of this struggle, but the line has to be drawn.

“Our biggest lesson is also to make sure that we weed out the traitors and strengthen our base, strengthen our coalition and really begin with how we structure an agreement, working relationship that is stable, so we can better serve,” she says.

She says it is unfortunate that the betrayal within the party has spilled over to national politics following the Sheraton Move, and that moving forward, it is important to rebuild people’s confidence.

“I do hope this particular round, with clear-cut zeal and direction of what we (PH) want to implement, and based on what the rakyat has been communicating with us, I think it’s going to be far more impactful and successful.”

Institutional reforms are important, she stresses, highlighting her experience with parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and its role in shining a light on some of the “executive scandals” such as the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) project fiasco where billions of ringgit have been paid for six vessels, none of which has been delivered.

“Our focus is really on ensuring Malaysia’s coffers are being protected, these excesses (by the federal government) have to be kept in check. So for me, the role in the PAC was very important and it serves as a reminder of the importance of checks and balances in every organisation including the government.”

Nurul Izzah believes that whichever coalition wins GE15 ought to do more to address issues that are important and fundamental to the country. These include empowerment of women, upskilling talents, bringing in new investments, improving business processes and climate resilience.

“I know that governments can do better and they should, but again the devil is in the implementation. So I always say, when I mention generation TVET (technical and vocational education and training), it is because I think it addresses the investments that are needed for our human capital.

“In a way that also prioritises the people. We always talk about The Fourth Industrial Revolution, but have you thought about engaging with the workers and the students themselves? I think for as long as we keep shelving the revamp of TVET, we are going to lose out, our companies will lose out.”

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