Nurul Izzah Anwar
Nurul Izzah Anwar | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Malaysian Parliament for Lembah Pantai | |
| Assumed office 8 March 2008 | |
| Preceded by | Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil |
| Majority | 2,895 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 19 November 1980 |
| Political party | Parti Keadilan Rakyat |
| Spouse | Raja Ahmad Shahrir |
| Children | Safiyah |
| Website | http://www.nurulizzah.com/site/ |
Nurul Izzah binti Anwar (born November 19, 1980) is a Malaysian politician from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), and is the current Member of Parliament for Lembah Pantai. She is the daughter of Anwar Ibrahim, a former Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister and the current de facto opposition leader and of the PKR.[1] Her mother, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, is the President of PKR.
Education
Nurul Izzah attended Sekolah Kebangsaan Bukit Damansara for her primary education, and then Sekolah Menengah Sri Hartamas, both in Kuala Lumpur. She later attended Assunta Secondary School in Petaling Jaya. In 2004, she graduated with a Bachelor in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Universiti Tenaga Nasional, and in May 2007 graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a Masters in International Relations.[2]
Career
Social Work
After her father's arrest in 1998 on charges of sodomy and graft, Nurul Izzah campaigned for his release, speaking at international venues condemning the Malaysian government. In 2001, together with Suaram she briefed the United Nations Commission on Human Rights on Malaysian politics and human rights issues.[2]
Political Career
In the 2008 general election, Nurul Izzah contested the seat of Lembah Pantai in Kuala Lumpur which the seat was contested by three candidates. There were speculations that she ran for the seat possibly to be taken over by her father, who was disqualified from running for office until April 2008, though she quickly rejected such claims.[3] The seat was defended by three-term incumbent Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, who was Minister for Women, Family and Community Development in the Barisan Nasional government.[3] Initial reports suggested that Shahrizat would retain the seat, as she had been a popular Minister, and in the 2004 election retained her seat with a majority of 15,288.[3][4] However, on polling day, Nurul Izzah won 21,728 votes to Shahrizat's 18,833, and was elected as the new MP for Lembah Pantai.[5]
The defeat of the powerful three-term incumbent by a new face was one of the many surprises in this election that saw significant losses of parliamentary seats by the ruling party.[6]
Controversy
However, since her election there has been growing disappointment among her constituents. Residents have complained of the lack of her presence in the district, and her lack of policies to address local issues such as rampant construction by developers and the growing crime rate. Much had been expected of the scion of Anwar Ibrahim. Little has been delivered.
Election results
| Year | Parliamentary seat | Votes Obtained | Majority | Ballots Cast | Opponent | Turnout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | P121 Lembah Pantai | 21,728 | won by 2,895 | 41,289 | Shahrizat Abdul Jalil (BN - UMNO), Periasamy a/l Nagarathnam (Independent) |
72.88% |
Personal life
Nurul Izzah is married to Raja Ahmad Shahrir, who works in corporate finance.[2] They have a daughter named Safiyah. She is also extremely eloquent and she is said to be as charismatic as her father, which was one of the factors that drew votes from the public.
References
- ^ Anwar's daughter steps into political wilderness, Ahmad Pathoni, Reuters, 28 February 2008
- ^ a b c "Nurul Izzah Anwar >> About". Retrieved 2008-03-10.
- ^ a b c Anwar's daughter steps into political wilderness, Ahmad Pathoni, Reuters, 28 February 2008
- ^ Shahrizat hails challenge, Joceline Tan, The Star (Malaysia), 13 February 2008
- ^ Heussner, Ki Mae (2008-03-10). "Shahrizat: Time for BN to do some 'soul-searching'". Malaysiakini. Retrieved 2008-03-10.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ From outcast to future Prime Minister?, Jessinta Tan, Today (Singapore newspaper), 10 March 2008