YOURSAY | Arguments aside, can Nurul Izzah do the job?

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E Kumar: On the contrary, one cannot categorise this particular appointment of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s eldest daughter Nurul Izzah as his senior adviser on economics and finance as nepotism as she gains absolutely nothing from taking up this position. It is akin to when charitable lawyers represent clients for no fees whatsoever. Nurul is being altruistic with her time and effort for Malaysia.

She will be giving up a lot in serving the nation, but she is willing to do it because she loves her country and wants to see her succeed. Of course, given the trials and tribulations her father has been subjected to, she wants to see him succeed in his push for reforms as well. One cannot deny that Nurul is an impressive youth leader and one of Malaysia’s brightest minds.

Her counsel in matters she’s been trained on her whole life will only prove beneficial to the nation. We can debate the fact that Anwar can appoint many other bright minds and experts in the subject of finance and economy, and I’m sure he has more than just Nurul as his adviser but no one in the right mind will be willing to do it for free. We should feel embarrassed that we are using her this way to our benefit.

Lionking: So many comments about all these opposition leaders and almost not even qualified to make comments. So what if PKR vice-president Nurul is appointed as an adviser? At least she is smart and intelligent. Don’t forget that almost all departments are helmed by little napoleons.

The prime minister needs people who can be trusted. What about when PAS and Bersatu were in power, there were more than 70 ministers, and what were they doing? Nothing was moving, and what did Ismail Sabri Yaakob do except parade himself with gaudy exorbitant shirts?

Then we had Abdul Hadi Awang who become a special envoy to the Middle East and that too was considered a ministerial-level appointment. What were his achievements? The Saudis did not welcome him. All that will cost the country millions. What about the billions squandered by the then government?

The prime minister should get the appropriate agencies to apply rule of law on all corruption cases and abuses. Don’t delay and that will keep them quiet. Replace certain heads for better performance We are in safer hands now and even the ringgit has improved. I am for Nurul to work because she is trustworthy and intelligent and is sure she will do a better job than many in the opposition camp.

As rightly said by the prime minister, most of the opposition leaders are not qualified and only harp on religion and race.

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Nurul Izzah’s appointment not nepotism as that involves self-enrichment: Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim defended his decision to appoint his daughter Nurul Izzah Anwar as his senior economic and finance adviser.

He said that the move has nothing to do with nepotism as Nurul Izzah, who is a former MP, was appointed to ensure that all matters pertaining to contracts and tenders are managed well.

“This is a different situation, where she comes in to help me. She is making sure that matters such as contracts and tenders are managed properly, not to take on any projects.

“Nepotism is when you abuse power to make yourself richer, get contracts for projects so they could (be) marked (up) to get a higher income,” he said when met at the National Sports Award 2021 at the National Sports Council in Bukit Jalil here today.

Nurul Izzah, who is presently the PKR vice-president, had previously served as MP for Lembah Pantai (2008-2018) and Permatang Pauh (2018-2022).

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Ex-MP brushes off ‘unfair’ criticism of Nurul Izzah’s appointment

PETALING JAYA: A former DAP MP has come to Nurul Izzah Anwar’s defence following her controversial appointment as a special adviser to the prime minister.

Citing her track record in Parliament, Charles Santiago said the flak Nurul Izzah received over her appointment was “unwarranted” and “unfair”.

Santiago said having worked with her on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement parliamentary caucus in 2013, he knew that the former Permatang Pauh MP would always prioritise the people.

She has always stood for the ordinary man and woman,” Santiago told FMT, adding that when it came to the TPPA, Nurul Izzah was eloquent on matters of intellectual property rights and development issues facing the country, including agrarian reforms to help develop the rural sector.

As an MP, she was always focused on improving the quality of life of the people,” he said, citing the Multidimensional Poverty Index which Nurul Izzah co-developed with a former Universiti Malaya professor.

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Nurul Izzah: between optics and strategy – Terence Fernandez

MUCH has been said and written about the appointment of Nurul Izzah Anwar as senior adviser on finance and economics to her father Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The optics have not been good on this one and the prime minister has been on the defensive to justify her appointment.

Among the criticisms is that Nurul Izzah was not even able to hold the family stronghold of Permatang Pauh which she lost to PAS in the last general election.

More pressingly, she is not known for her economic ideas as much as those she has on education.

For instance, she has been a champion of technical and vocational education training, so one assumes there would not be such an uproar if she was appointed special adviser to Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.

The perception is that Fadhlina has been punching above her weight and needs all the help she can get.

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I’m no longer senior economic, finance adviser to PM: Nurul Izzah

KUALA LUMPUR – Former Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar will not be serving as  senior economic and finance adviser to the prime minister following her appointment to the advisory committee’s secretariat.

Nurul Izzah, who is the daughter of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, said she has accepted the appointment to head the secretariat of the advisory committee to the finance minister helmed by Tan Sri Mohd Hassan Marican.

“Hassan has invited me to join the secretariat of the advisory committee to assist with its efforts to reinforce the national economy and the people’s finance.

“With this new role, I will no longer be serving as the senior economic and finance adviser to the prime minister,” she said in a statement today.

“I’ll take this opportunity to express my gratitude for the support that I’ve been given, from the public and the civil service.”

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