KUALA LUMPUR: PKR's Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar today announced her decision to contest for the vice-presidency post in the upcoming party election.
The eldest daughter of party supremo Anwar Ibrahim, who has received eight nominations to date, said she was both honoured and humbled by the trust the members had placed in her.
"I have decided to take the responsibilty and respect the party members' wishes,” she told reporters at her service centre in Bangsar here.
“I am grateful because your nominations or ‘suara ahli’ (members' voice) shall become my own 'suara hati' (my voice) as I humbly embrace the opportunity and responsibility to serve,” she said.
Contrary to the speculation that she was aligned to deputy presidential hopeful Zaid Ibrahim, Nurul said she would not endorse any candidate.
“I feel that the members are not only free to nominate but that I must also respect and accept their endorsements for their respective candidates accordingly,” she said.
On whether being the daughter of Anwar and PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail would give her an edge, she dismissed it, arguing that it could turn out to be a double-edged sword instead.
“It can also be a deterrent factor as some members may not like the idea of me being the vice president,” she said, adding that she was her own person.
Real defining change
Nurul, who was 18 when her father was sacked as deputy premier, said she had the privilege of witnessing and participating in the reformasi movement and see it
evolve into PKR today.“I believe that our party’s election this year will be a real defining change as we will be able to forge a true people’s movement that shares a common destiny - for a better Malaysia,” she said.
Nurul said members should elect the party leadership based on the candidate’s vision, ideas and commitment to the party’s values and ideals, rather than exclusively on personality.
“We must appreciate and acknowledge leaders at all levels for their contribution, sacrifices and efforts in transforming a reformasi movement to a party that along with our partners in Pakatan Rakyat shall lead the nation soon.
“We must believe that every leader is guided by their moral compass to do what is best, even more so under demanding circumstances and difficult choices, for a common good,” she said.
“We must affirm that each member shares similar aspirations and has the best intentions for our common struggle. We have much in common and our differences should strengthen, not weaken us,” she added.
Nurul said she hoped that once the election is over, the party would once again stand united to chart its future course with the newly minted leadership.
Don't be short-sighted
The 30-year-old MP also stressed on the importance of having a free and fair election, saying it is a test of PKR's integrity and credibility as a founding partner in Pakatan to conduct itself in a transparent, responsible and accountable manner.
“We will be measured by our party members, our Pakatan partners and the Malaysian people on how we uphold democratic principles in our party elections. So, let us rise to the occasion and not betray the hopes and expectations with the promise of a better Malaysia for all Malaysians,” she said.
As for those vying for positions, Nurul said these aspiring leaders should not be short-sighted, selfish and Machiavellian in their campaigning.
“Let us be ethical in our actions when seeking the legitimate and moral leadership mandate from our members,” she said, proposing that all candidates publicly sign a “Keadilan Free and Fair Campaign Election Declaration” next week.
“I believe that with this party lies the future of this country. This is indeed our moment of truth,” she added.
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