Anwar,Nepotism? Need for PH to focus on bringing real changes fast, and not be distracted by by-elections or PKR elections?

Now, that Anwar Ibrahim may be contesting in the upcoming Port Dickson Parliamentary by-election, there has been question whether there was 'nepotism' involved since his wife and daughter were present Members of Parliament.

NEPOTISM - the practice among those with power or influence of favoring relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs.

No nepotism here. No nepotism if a brother, husband and/or wife of a sitting MP wants to offer themselves as an MP - the people will choose. Absurd to even suggest that 1 or 2 members of any family can be a Member of Parliament at a particular time...

Further, the decision of who will be the PKR candidate who will contest the upcoming by-election is the decision of the Majlis Pimipinan Pusat(Central Leadership Committee) and not just the President alone or Anwar alone. The majority will decide on which candidate will run for an MP/ADUN position from PKR.

As the President is Wan Azizah(Anwar's wife), and, if it was simply the President's decision, then the allegation of nepotism may be possible. Now, since it is the entire  Majlis Pimipinan Pusat that makes the decision, there can be no allegation of nepotism.

Wan Azizah(wife of Anwar) and Nurul Izzah(daughter of Anwar) are individual Malaysians, who have every right to contest to be Member of Parliament and/or ADUN. 

The fact that they are from the same family is not NEPOTISM - more so, since who is chosen to be MP or ADUN is the decision of voters in the said constituency.

There is nothing wrong with members of the same family offering themselves as MP/ADUN candidates and allowing the people to vote them in as MPs or ADUNs. One should really not be discriminated just because their mother or sibling or father is also an MP/ADUN or political leader.

A wife or a daughter who is MP, however, should always choose and decide on issues based on his/her conscience, principles and good of the people - not simply vote just because a parent or elder sibling or spouse tells them how to vote. We certainly do not want such MPs who vote according to orders of the party or even party leader...Voting must be done according to what they believe is right...

Wan Azizah needs to learn maybe - she is, I believe, capable of being a peoples' representative - and maybe even a future Prime Minister. The popular perception is that she is nothing but a 'seat warmer' for Anwar...a stand-in for Anwar. She must work to dismiss this perception...She must oppose even husband Anwar if she cannot agree with him or his position...

It was disturbing that Anwar recently said that Wan Azizah will resign from Cabinet if and when he becomes Prime Minister. It is not for Anwar to say such things about Wan Azizah or even Nurul Izzah. Such statements disrespect Wan Azizah...

A Prime Minister choses his/her Cabinet - his/her team to govern the nation, and if he believes that his wife and/or daughter is not the best, the Prime Minister can chose not to include them in the Cabinet...I see nothing wrong if a PM choses his siblings or even spouse to be a member of the Cabinet.

Remember a Prime Minister is ultimately chosen by the MPs - yes, the one who has the support of the majority of the MPs will be Prime Minister. Anwar cannot presume that even if he becomes the PD MP, the MPs will choose him as the next PM. MPs may have come from the Pakatan Harapan parties - but really they may not be bound by agreements between the parties, especially if they were not party to such agreement....and things do change...do they.

REFORMASI...transformation of the government and governance for the better is the PRIORITY...not simply the getting of a Pardon for Anwar and/or the making of Anwar a future Prime Minister...after Mahathir, is it. To be caught up with the later object, maybe a betrayal of the people...

NOW, Priority ONE is to bring about quick changes in government to eliminate 'kleptocracy', corruption, using of government monies to enrich political appointees and/or cronies...to restore Human Rights and democracy - to repeal bad laws that infringe freedom of opinion, freedom of expression, freedom of peaceful assembly, human rights and rule of law...

TO DATE - we have been focusing of recovering monies 'stolen' from the people, taking action against those guilty of doing so....BUT what about putting in place laws and practices that will prevent these same wrongs happening again in this new government...

GLCs - we have seen how CEOs, Upper management and even Directors have been paid way too high salaries/allowances ...Well, has the Pakatan Harapan put into place laws that fixes the salaries...say the highest salary should maybe be fixed at RMN15,000...YES - where are the laws that fixes pay scales in GLCs..

GLC - other problem was that they were not audited by the Auditor General, and these audit reports were not made public or tabled in Parliament. The law that guarantees such audits - that these audits be transparent, etc...still not in place. 

The SOSMA, Sedition Act, POCA, POTA and Detention Without Trial laws yet to be repealed...

There is so much yet to be done ...and we have been distracted by 3 by-elections, and now a forced by-elections to get Anwar elected as MP, the PKR elections ....This should not be...

In a recent media report, I am concerned about the suggestion made by Anwar, i.e. that his wife and daughter may have been 'forced' to become MPs...Such a statement belittles Wan Azizah and Nurul Izzah, which I hope, became MPs - peoples' representatives to serve the people....not for any reason like 'ensuring position/relevance of Anwar in the party and Malaysian politics...or because they were 'forced' ...

The incoming PKR president said both Dr Wan Azizah and Nurul Izzah were forced to join politics after he was jailed in 1998, and have never had an easy ride since.

See related post:-

MP Danyal folly? Anwar? Unnecessary waste of our monies? Betrayal? Hero?

 

Anwar: Nobody cried nepotism when Wan Azizah, Nurul Izzah were forced into politics

Published 18 hours ago on 16 September 2018

By Yiswaree Palansamy

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim attends ‘Jelajah Bersama Warga Wilayah Persekutuan’ in Kuala Lumpur September 16, 2018. — Picture by Miera Zulyana

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 16 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has slammed accusations of nepotism today, as he prepares to enter the Parliament even as his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail is the deputy prime minister and daughter Nurul Izzah already an MP.

The incoming PKR president said both Dr Wan Azizah and Nurul Izzah were forced to join politics after he was jailed in 1998, and have never had an easy ride since.

“When I was in jail for years, people were mobilising [efforts] to get me out of jail at that time.

“At that time Nurul Izzah was mobilising youths. That time no issue. Everyone said ‘okay, okay, get her, get her’,” he told a dialogue session with youths here.

Anwar said Dr Wan Azizah was an ophthalmologist who graduated from the Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland, when she was asked to join the Opposition then.

“I was in jail. You think it was easy? I was suffering in pain, beaten near death.

“At that time, all said it was okay, and now it’s nepotism. We were not granted a golden spoon. We suffered in tears,” he said.

However, Anwar added that he has never regretted taking his family through the tough path.

He said he is aware of “discordant voices” about the family’s involvement in politics, but pointed out that everyone is entitled to their opinion.

Dr Wan Azizah is the current Pandan MP, while Nurul Izzah is the MP for Permatang Pauh — a seat both her parents had contested in, and won with resounding majority.

Last week, Datuk Danyal Balagopal Abdullah announced his resignation from the federal Port Dickson seat to allow Anwar to contest, and to pave the way for him to assume the prime minister’s post soon.

The move resulted in criticisms, with even one of Anwar’s former counsel for his second sodomy case, Datuk S. Ambiga, denouncing the move and suggesting either Dr Wan Azizah or Nurul Izzah to vacate their seat instead.

In his speech today, Anwar also explained why he did not choose to contest Dr Wan Azizah’s Pandan seat.

“Say, for the by-election, if I choose Pandan, they will say: You, when you were in trouble, you asked your wife [for help to contest], and then you want to immediately snatch the position from her.

“Now that too is wrong. If I take Pandan, there will be a vacuum of about two, three months, because [Dr Wan Azizah] is DPM,” he said, using initials to refer to the post of deputy prime minister.

“Then if I win, I don’t want to become DPM. I already told Tun Mahathir. I want him to have the freedom and space to choose who he wants, then wait for my turn, I take over. So because of that, she cannot let [Pandan] go,” Anwar said, referring to Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

He then called on his supporters to ensure his win in Port Dickson.

“What’s important is let me win in Port Dickson,” he said to laughter and applause. - Malay Mail, 16/9/2018

Wan Azizah will not be in cabinet when I'm PM, Anwar reiterates

Published: 15 Sep 2018, 5:48 pm  |  Modified: 15 Sep 2018, 6:03 pm

   

PKR president-elect Anwar Ibrahim has reiterated that his wife, Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, will not be in the cabinet once he becomes prime minister.

"Our position is Azizah has to step down when I assume office. This has been announced right at the beginning," Anwar told reporters in Singapore today.

He was non-committal towards a similar stance for his daughter Nurul Izzah, who is currently serving as Permatang Pauh MP.

"For Nurul Izzah, let's see what her position is. I don't know and won't speculate.

"But what is important now is Azizah will not serve in cabinet. That is important," he added.

Pakatan Harapan has agreed that Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad will cede power to Anwar eventually.

However, no timeline has been established as to when this transition would occur.

Questions about nepotism under an Anwar premiership arose after the Port Dickson parliamentary seat was vacated on Wednesday to pave the way for him to return to Parliament. - Malaysiakini, 15/9/2018