Being elected the youngest vice-president of PKR wasn’t part of a preordained plan. Neither was winning the Lembah Pantai parliamentary seat.
In fact, Nurul Izzah Anwar used to duck the political spotlight until it was rudely thrust upon her in 1998. And even then there was no plan.
The then 18-year-old would have been forgiven had she wound up submerged by the waves of political pressure. Instead, the daughter of PKR de facto leader, Anwar Ibrahim, not only stayed afloat but sailed through her baptism of fire to earn the moniker Puteri Reformasi.
Some call it destiny, others call it an obligation. Nurul herself simply calls it putting things into perspective. And it was a perspective that seared itself so deeply within her that she still speaks of it in befittingly hushed tones.
“A part of me changed forever that day,” she said softly. “It wasn’t just about my father’s sacking and eventual arrest but having everything I held sacred just crumbled before me. I felt the fragility of life.”
“It then dawned on me that it wasn’t about any single individual but about a movement and the need to be part of something you believe in. That was my earth-shattering moment. And that has made me the person I am today.”
The people who ushered her onto the “reformasi” path were those who were by her side during Anwar’s arrest. After enveloping her with support, they told her that she had to take up the fight, not just for her father but for the scores of other political prisoners. Nurul didn’t hesitate.
“If I didn’t do it then no one would know of our plight,” she said earnestly. “They wouldn’t know of the judicious arguments for my father’s release, about the other political prisoners and why the Internal Security Act is unacceptable. These messages need to be propagated.”
First hurdle
Nurul’s first hurdle was persuading her reluctant mother and PKR president, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, to bestow her blessings upon her daughter’s new career. Then she turned to PAS, DAP, Abim (Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia) and even Suaram (Suara Rakyat Malaysia) to seek guidance in learning the ropes. A trait that perhaps further strengthened her tenacity was her disinterest in “what ifs”.
“I never thought about what I would have done if 1998 didn’t happen to me because it is an exercise in futility,” she reasoned.
Then with her tongue firmly planted in her cheek, she added, “I’m very glad that 1998 did happen because I certainly wouldn’t have wanted to join Puteri Umno!”
Indeed, Nurul has come a long way from the young woman who once didn’t relish the political association that was packaged into her name. Her strong embrace of political activism therefore greatly astonished her. It also taught her the importance of owning an idea before bringing it into reality.
“There was a sense of obligation certainly,” she readily admitted. “But I also owned the idea of becoming a politician. If I felt forced into it, I would have led a very unhappy life and let down all my supporters.”
“So the process of owning this new life and identity has been a very important and invaluable one for me. It has been a very steep learning curve and I’m glad I stayed the course. But my husband was still surprised by my decision to contest for vice-president!”
Was vice-presidency really not part of a blueprint? Nurul sighed quietly. It was obviously a question that she has been asked too many times. She looked up and straight into the camera.
“No,” she said clearly. Then she smiled. “But now that I am, I have a plan.”
Laying the groundwork
The moment her vice-presidency was announced, Nurul hit the ground running. Before the first week was over, she found herself assigned to Negri Sembilan and Malacca where she was tasked with obtaining feedback from members on the party’s first direct elections.
Her other assignment was to lay out the groundwork that would help the party design programmes aimed at garnering support from the younger electorate. Nurul’s hands are also full at the Federal Territory level where she has commissioned a 100-day programme for Kuala Lumpur if Pakatan Rakyat were to take over the federal government.
“My plan is clear but I’ll need at least a month to assess the needs of the different states and the party before implementing them,” she said. “And I’ll be working closely with the secretariat because they too have planned many programmes.”
“The challenge here is to work cohesively. It’s not going to be an individual pursuit because that would never achieve the intended results.”
The project that is closest to her heart at this point of time, however, is the Democracy Rehabilitation Act, a bipartisan Bill which encompasses the six principal prerequisites for a thriving democracy.
A one-million signature campaign for a memorandum of the Act kicked off this month which will be subsequently submitted to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Pakatan will also propose this Act to the ruling government to move during the next parliamentary sitting.
“We’ve used the word ‘rehabilitation’ as a sign of respect for what is enshrined in the Federal Constitution,” she explained. “We’re drafting the actual Bill but the petition has begun because we urgently need to revoke all emergency declarations.”
“We have to explain to the people that we are democratically poor as a nation. We’re still living under Emergency Rule! So I’m bringing this matter down to the grassroots and getting them to sign the petition.”
Ripe opportunity
The windows of opportunity in politics are usually small and fleeting, and Nurul is determined not to let this one shut on the opposition.
“We are facing such a ripe opportunity to introduce ideas which failed to gain traction in the past,” she emphasised. “Such issues have captured the attention of the electorate so we have to keep pushing forward.”
Like her professional conduct, Nurul’s six-month milestones are concise and to the point. The first is ensuring that the Act sees the light of day and is recognised by the different Pakatan leadership. The second is promoting Pakatan’s 100-day plan and Orange Book concept.
“We have to be on the offensive from hereon,” she said bluntly.
Nurul’s climb to the vice-presidency in a party led by her father has invariably stirred whispers of nepotism. Political observers have questioned whether her star is truly rising or whether her family is merely engaging in dynastic politics.
The broaching of this subject elicited another small sigh from her. Nurul’s dignified manner never allows for brash gestures. It is always a quiet sigh, a tilt of the head or a subtle narrowing of the eyes that convey the extent of her displeasure.
“There are three things that affect me and others when you link my post to a political dynasty,” she began. “The first is who I am. I can’t disassociate myself from my father. That’s part of me and I’m proud of it but it’s also about my abilities, the messages I send out and how I handle challenges.”
“Second is the issue of opportunity. Being the daughter of Anwar Ibrahim has opened many doors but also closed just as many. It is something that I have to be at ease with and try to harness for a greater good.”
“Third is responsibility,” she said. “If you are responsible and willing to go through the various tribulations that are associated with the opportunities available to you and still emerge victorious, then you would have earned the support.”
‘I love Lembah Pantai’
With that topic put to rest, the conversation turned to PKR’s future. The inevitable question arose: Should Anwar find himself behind bars again, would the party still be able to soldier on?
Nurul is known for standing her own ground and speaking her own mind even if it means taking a different stand from the top leadership. And here she pinpointed the problem of the top leadership: focusing on one man, namely the de facto leader.
“You need to be part of this movement because you believe in its ideals and struggles,” she urged.
“We should never expect one particular person to replace a de facto leader.”
“He (Anwar) exudes a strong influence over Pakatan and PKR but you want the ideals to live on and the fact that we have sufficient young leaders in the party to carry the message forward is so important. Right now all preparations are being made for us to improve our structure and the second-level leadership.”
Nurul may have risen in the party ranks but she hasn’t forgotten her first political appointment. The Lembah Pantai constituency remains just as precious to her as when she won her seat in 2008 and she is determined to defend it in the next general election.
“I love Lembah Pantai,” she declared. “I still take my responsibilities to my constituents very seriously. I sold my 13-year-old Alvarez acoustic guitar to a Lembah Pantai constituent!”
“That guitar was part of my youth and the last thing I really enjoyed before 1998 happened. But I wanted to contribute a part of me as a mark of acknowledgment of my constituents’ struggles.”
When teased about why she didn’t autograph it, she let out a self-deprecating laugh and exclaimed, “Come on! Only Mick Jagger is qualified to autograph guitars! Who is Nurul Izzah?”
That is a question that only time will tell. For now, all that can be said is that she is certainly more than just the daughter of Anwar Ibrahim. - FMT
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