GE13: Wan Azizah’s absence at Opposition meetings raises questions

(The Star) - Tongues are wagging over PKR president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail's absence at meetings of the three parties in the opposition pact on the allocation of electoral seats.

Political analysts read her absence at the party meetings suggested her influence as president was eroding, and a rising trust for her husband and party advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali.

Political analysts see a possibility of Wan Azizah contesting for a state seat in Selangor but she has not confirmed if she will do so.

Wan Azizah cannot contest for a parliamentary seat because she has not completed the mandatory five-year prohibition having resigned as an MP.

She had quit as an MP on July 31, 2008, to enable Anwar to contest the Permatang Pauh parliamentary in a by-election.

Anwar had said that his wife would not contest in this general election but their daughter and Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah said her mother would stand.

PKR strategy director Rafizi Ramli told Bernama Wan Azizah had been absent from the meetings because she had been unwell over the past week.

He said she was not too involved in candidate selection and had been entrusted with garnering the support of the women voters.

Rafizi said Wan Azizah might hold a news conference in two or three days.