SEBERANG PERAI, April 30 — Permatang Pauh voters will rally behind PKR’s reformasi cry in GE14, just as they have done in all the past elections since 1999, Nurul Izzah Anwar said today.
The eldest daughter of imprisoned de facto PKR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim sees it as a great honour to have the chance to continue her family’s uninterrupted 36-year hold on the Penang federal seat.
She is taking over from her mother Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who is running in the Selangor federal constituency of Pandan this round.
“This is not only a PKR stronghold, it is where the people are still loyal to a representative who can voice for them in Parliament,” she said.
She remained optimistic that locals will support PKR and Pakatan Harapan (PH) although her main political opponent, Datuk Mohd Zaidi Mohd Said insists that voters are now more inclined towards his Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.
Nurul Izzah said she will fight against Zaidi fairly and will not stoop to making personal attacks.
“I will use this chance to meet with the voters here, so he can say whatever he wants,” she said.
The Permatang Pauh contest is a three-way fight as PAS is also betting on taking the seat with its candidate Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden, who is also the party’s state Youth chief.
Nurul Izzah conceded that the battle won’t be smooth, saying every vote PAS wins will benefit BN.
She added that her BN rival had asserted that support for PAS is equal to support for BN.
But she believes PKR is in the lead due to public disgruntlement over the Goods and Services Tax and the economic downturn.
