‘Reformer’ Anwar guilty of nepotism, says ex-PH man

 

Saifuddin Abdullah, who left PKR in 2020, criticised Anwar Ibrahim and Rafizi Ramli for urging voters to reject those who defected from their parties. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Anwar Ibrahim should take a look in the mirror before preaching against nepotism and advocating reform, a former Pakatan Harapan leader said.

Saifuddin Abdullah, a former PH chief secretary, said Anwar was guilty of nepotism, as he had signed off on the candidacies of his wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and daughter Nurul Izzah.

“That’s nepotism at the highest level. Regardless of what he says about others, including me, he has to evaluate himself,” Saifuddin told reporters in Kuantan.

“He always speaks about reform and (claims to be) against nepotism, but the interesting thing about Anwar is that he is an example of a nepotist.”

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He said another example was the Kajang Move of 2014 when PKR sought to replace the Selangor menteri besar then, Khalid Ibrahim, by fielding Anwar in the Kajang state assembly seat.

However, Anwar was disqualified because of a court case and was replaced by his wife.

Saifuddin, who left PKR in 2020 to side with the Perikatan Nasional government, hit out at Anwar and PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli for encouraging voters not to vote for someone who had defected to another party.

He compared the PKR leaders to Perikatan Nasional chairman Muhyiddin Yassin, saying while the PKR pair had attacked him when campaigning in Indera Mahkota, the latter had not done the same to other candidates.

“Real leaders don’t make personal attacks. Real leaders speak on policies and their manifesto,” he said. My conclusion is simple, they (PH) cannot find a good candidate to run against me.”

Saifuddin is seeking a second term in the Indera Mahkota parliamentary constituency in Kuantan, Pahang. He is being challeged by Quek Tai Seong of Barisan Nasional, Zuraidi Ismail (PH) and Mohamad Nor Sundari (Pejuang).

A former member of PKR, Saifuddin quit the party in 2020 during the Sheraton Move when Bersatu and some MPs from PKR left Pakatan Harapan to form a new government.

He has served as a minister in the cabinets of Muhyiddin Yassin and Ismail Sabri Yaakob. - FMT