- Nurul Izzah resigns as PKR deputy president.
- Rodziah Ismail has expressed her disappointment with Nurul Izzah's decision, acknowledging that resignation is her right but feeling aggrieved as a party member.
- Analysts say the departure of Nurul Izzah as deputy president of PKR is a huge political setback for Prime Minister Anwar.
- PKR's leadership has framed Nurul Izzah's move not as a resignation but as a temporary break, exposing fresh strains within the party.
- This is another blow to Anwar after disappointing losses by his Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition to its federal partner, Barisan Nasional (BN), in Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections.
- The recurring departure or sidelining of senior figures suggests PKR under Anwar has yet to resolve how to accommodate strong personalities, such as Nurul Izzah and recent defectors Azmin Ali and others.
- When the same pattern repeats itself, the question becomes whether this is less a succession problem and increasingly an Anwar problem.
- The focus should not be who would succeed Anwar next, but whether PKR could develop and retain credible leaders around him without those relationships eventually becoming adversarial.
Nurul Izzah Anwar's resignation as PKR deputy president has sparked disappointment from Ampang MP Rodziah Ismail, who expressed her feelings of grievance regarding the decision.1234
"If that is her choice to resign, that is her right," Ismail stated, reflecting the mixed emotions within the party.
Analysts view this resignation as a significant political setback for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, particularly following recent electoral losses in Johor and Negeri Sembilan.6
The recurring departures of senior figures, including Nurul Izzah and recent defectors like Azmin Ali, indicate that PKR under Anwar is struggling to manage strong personalities within its ranks.7
Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani, vice-president of political consultancy The Asia Group, noted, “When the same pattern repeats itself, the question becomes whether this is less a succession problem and increasingly an Anwar problem.”8
The party's leadership has attempted to frame Nurul Izzah's resignation not as a permanent departure but as a temporary break, which exposes ongoing strains within PKR.
The focus, according to analysts, should shift from succession issues to whether PKR can cultivate and retain credible leaders without fostering adversarial relationships.
This situation underscores the challenges facing Anwar as he navigates the complexities of party leadership and the need for unity amidst internal conflicts.
“PKR leadership frames the move as a temporary break, not a resignation, exposing fresh strains within the party. The resignation follows PH's losses to BN in Johor and Negeri Sembilan, and analysts question whether PKR's recurring departure of senior figures signals an 'Anwar problem'.”
Malaysiakini
South China Morning Post
