Even Biden is old, says Nik Nazmi on Anwar eyeing PM post

 

Anwar Ibrahim can bank on his years of experience working at the top levels of government to lead the country, says PKR colleague Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.

PETALING JAYA: Anwar Ibrahim’s age should not affect his capability to win the confidence of voters as Pakatan Harapan’s prime minister candidate, says PKR vice-president Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.

Nik Nazmi pointed out that Western countries had veterans taking part in elections and still garnering the support of younger voters.

He cited the likes of current US president Joe Biden, who is 79, fellow Democrat Bernie Sanders, and former British opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn.

“Though they were older, they had young supporters. In fact, nearly all of Corbyn’s supporters were youths,” he said, according to Astro Awani.

Nik Nazmi said PH believed that Anwar, 75, could similarly garner the support of voters from various age groups and communities, aided by his experience working at the top levels of government.

The former Setiawangsa MP said Anwar had enabled the younger generation to take leadership positions in the party, pointing out how he, Nurul Izzah Anwar, Selangor menteri besar Amirudin Shari and former Tanjong Malim MP Chang Lih Kang were all party vice-presidents.

“We joined (PKR) in our 20s and today we are all vice-presidents in our 40s. If I were in Umno, I would probably only get to be a division head (at this age),” he said.

Meanwhile, Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan said Malaysia needed to move on from the “old political narrative” that revolved around Anwar and his long-time political nemesis, Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

He said these two veterans had dominated the country’s political arena for so long and it was time for a transition from that generation. - FMT