Outgoing PKR deputy president Nurul Izzah Anwar has expressed a desire to see the party evolve to become immune to factions or “hidden hands” influencing decisions.
In her officiating speech for the PKR annual congress at the Melaka International Trade Centre today, Nurul Izzah also cautioned that internal division will only weaken the party.
“I stand on this stage for the PKR Women and Youth wings not to represent myself, but to carry out my responsibilities as the outgoing deputy president who wants a future PKR that is ‘faction-proof’.
“We cannot be strong as an organisation if there is a party within a party, two captains steering the ship, or hidden hands in power structures behind the visible power,” the former Permatang Pauh MP said.
Without elaborating on the events leading up to her call, she stressed that the more time PKR spends its energy “fighting and squabbling” over internal disputes, it risks losing out on efforts to win the hearts of the people.
“Our focus must be to firmly resolve our agenda (on) popularising the economy (and) competing to do good through electoral victories,” she added.
In a Facebook post on Aug 6, Nurul Izzah confirmed her intention to relinquish the party’s number two post.
Prior to her post, PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil said the party’s central leadership had received her resignation request earlier that day, but instead granted her temporary leave beginning after the annual congress concludes this weekend.
Later, PKR lawmaker Hassan Abdul Karim told Mingguan Malaysia that Nurul Izzah’s decision to step down was allegedly linked to her dissatisfaction with the government’s approach to combating corruption.
Critics had viewed Izzah’s contest for the deputy presidency as a catalyst for internal friction within PKR, as it preceded Rafizi Ramli’s resignation as economy minister after he lost his attempt to defend the post against her.
He later left the party to lead Parti Bersama Malaysia along with another former PKR leader, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.
The internal disputes have since continued, with Wong Chen, who served PKR for 17 years, leaving the party and vacating the Subang parliamentary seat to join Bersama.
Embrace mission of unity
The eldest daughter of PKR president and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim also reminded delegates today to embrace the spirit of “husnuzon” (thinking well of others) through a mission of unity based on fairness that needs to be present in the party before it can be spread to the people.
“The people are a reflection of the leaders. That is why I often say, leadership is not about possessing power; leadership is about preserving trust - the difference may seem small, but from this small difference arise different political streams.
“One defends seats, while the other defends values. We can inherit influence, even a throne. History proves (power) can be inherited, but trust cannot,” she highlighted.
Nurul Izzah added that some might have become so accustomed to dishing out criticism that when the party now finds itself with governance powers, certain quarters are “no longer sure how to govern well.”
“Criticising is easy, being the opposition is indeed easy. Governing well, governing rightly, (on the other hand) is a far more difficult task.
“Good governance also faces the temptation to do the wrong thing - temptations wrapped in short-term interest, wrapped in pragmatic excuses, wrapped in whispers that doing it just once is okay.
“The question we need to ask ourselves every time that temptation arrives, that standard whisper arrives, is not about tactical cleverness, but a more fundamental question: who are we actually fighting for?” she asked.
‘We need own boundaries’
Nurul Izzah also took the opportunity to share her interpretations of “compromise” as a concept, urging the party to establish its own boundaries on matters which it will not attempt to accept.
“We must determine our red line, which is the things we will not compromise on and never cross. Then, we live our lives defending that red line.
“There are two types of compromise: one is a compromise for the greater good, (for example) when I built a bridge with Dr Mahathir Mohamad to overthrow a kleptocracy, (and) another compromise is one that opens the door to corruption and deep-rooted evil.
“A friendly party - for example, pushing until the very end to free a kleptocrat. This is a red line…(they) use discussions and debates when it comes to compromise, as a result of a series of corruption and law-breaking in this double-standard phenomenon,” she added.
Nurul Izzah also asserted that PKR must continue to be a “home” to diverse schools of thought that are most prudent in approach and most progressive across various races.
“We just need to remember to try as hard as possible to avoid turning into what we hate most about our opponents.
“We must always be vigilant when we hold power, ask ourselves: 'Am I doing all this for myself, for the country, or for society?'” she said.
“I think it’s time that we look ourselves in the mirror (and) ask ourselves how we achieved what we set out to do. Yes, of course we have (achieved it), but if you cannot bear to look at the man or woman in the mirror, then you better change your ways.
“We need to remain true to ourselves,” Nurul Izzah added. - Mkini
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