KUALA LUMPUR, August 6 — PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar admitted today that the International Republican Institute (IRI) has trained Pakatan Harapan (PH), amid concerns of foreign influence in Malaysian politics.
However, she also claimed the US-based democracy development organisation, which provides consultation to politicians around the world, had trained former Barisan Nasional (BN) component party Gerakan as well, and that the previous BN government was aware of this.
“They have helped not just Pakatan Harapan but Barisan as well,” Nurul Izzah said at Parliament today.
She added there was nothing to hide as PH had done all their activities in a transparent manner.
When asked if IRI had helped PH to topple the previous BN-led government, Nurul Izzah said, “Of course”.
“It was very clear cut. Toppling through democratic means, in which we have to participate in elections,” she added.
It was reported earlier that the IRI, which has strong ties to senior United States Republican figures and ex-intelligence officers, had been working with the then-Opposition as far back as 2002.
This was revealed by the institute’s president Daniel Twinning during a forum organised last month by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.
