BUKIT MERTAJAM – Thirteen Penang PKR division chiefs have called on Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar to withdraw her resignation as PKR vice-president and Penang PKR chairman.
Kepala Batas PKR Division chief Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman said that all state party division chiefs expressed their full support to Nurul Izzah to continue leading the Penang state PKR.
“We hope that YB Nurul Izzah accepts the trust that she has been entrusted with, and pledges to work together to raise PKR’s dignity, especially in Penang.
“We hope that YB Nurul Izzah will continue to maintain the spirit of struggle that she has supported in the pursuit of justice for everyone,” he told a press conference, here today.
Nurul Izzah in a statement yesterday announced her resignation as PKR vice-president as well as Penang PKR chairman.
Dubbed as “Puteri Reformasi” since the start of the Reformasi movement era, Nurul Izzah said she would remain as Permatang Pauh MP and an ordinary PKR party member until the end of the term.
Ahmad Zakiyuddin, who is Penang’s Deputy Chief Minister 1, said that while the PKR chiefs respected Nurul Izzah’s decision, they hoped that she would reconsider it.
On allegations that Nurul Izzah’s decision was to reject nepotism within the party, Tasek Gelugor Division chief Mustafa Ahmad who was also present at the press conference, said her appointment as state PKR chairman was made unanimously at a discussion involving the party’s division chiefs in Ipoh, Perak recently.
“We see Nurul Izzah as someone from the younger ranks who can lead PKR and be given opportunities, so there is no question of nepotism,” he said.
Meanwhile, Permatang Pauh Branch Wanita PKR chief Dr Norlela Ariffin said Nurul Izzah’s appointment and selection as a party leader was because of her excellent track record.
“She has proven her ability as a leader, in terms of merit as a three-term MP and had beaten the Umno Wanita chief in Lembah Pantai (parliamentary constituency) and won the largest number of votes from members for the post of party vice-president. We really do need a brave woman leader like her,” she said.
— BERNAMA
