PETALING JAYA, May 22 – In a dramatic twist ahead of the PKR party elections, Nurul Izzah Anwar revealed the behind-the-scenes developments that prompted her to contest the party’s deputy president post – a position she is now vying for in a head-to-head showdown against incumbent Rafizi Ramli.
In her final campaign message shared on Facebook, Nurul Izzah said the sequence of events began while she was abroad attending a conference in India earlier this month. There, she was informed that Rafizi had taken a sudden leave of absence from his role as Economy Minister and had also cleared out his office in Putrajaya – a move that shocked many within the party.
Adding to the speculation, party leaders were made aware that Rafizi had already penned a resignation letter from his Cabinet position, raising serious concerns about his political future and commitment to the party leadership.
“This sparked unease over the possibility of a leadership vacuum,” Nurul Izzah explained. “There had already been a series of losses in the divisional elections involving leaders aligned with Rafizi, causing concern among the grassroots and central leadership.”
She added that amid growing uncertainty, numerous calls emerged from within the party for her to step in and provide stability by contesting for the deputy presidency.
“201 out of 222 PKR divisions voiced their support for me to contest. I made the decision to heed their call. Interestingly, Rafizi only announced his intention to defend the post on the final day of nominations – after my candidacy had been made official,” she said.
The revelation underscores growing tensions and political maneuvering within PKR as the party prepares for a crucial internal election that could reshape its future direction. Nurul Izzah, the daughter of PKR president and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, has been a prominent figure in the reformist movement, and her return to frontline party leadership signals a renewed push for internal stability and rejuvenation.
The straight fight between Nurul Izzah and Rafizi is expected to be one of the most closely watched contests in PKR’s history, with potential implications for national politics as well.
As both candidates make their final appeals to delegates, party insiders say the outcome could significantly influence the leadership structure ahead of the next general election.
