.jpg "Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim speaks during a press conference at PKRu00e2u20acu2122s headquarters in Petaling Jaya on August 9, 2018. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Yusof Mat Isa")
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 11 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today denied claims that Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar will be contesting the Seri Setia seat for PKR.
There were unverified rumours that she would step down as Permatang Pauh MP and contest the Selangor state seat in order for Anwar to be able to contest the parliamentary seat.
But Anwar told reporters at the Malaysian Student Leaders Summit XII here that he had not heard of the matter and said no one had made such suggestion.
“I have not heard of it. Why would Izzah go to state (level)?
“No one suggested it. If they had, then I would consider it,” he said.
Yesterday, a party source was reported to have said that Nurul Izzah was proposed as a candidate for the Seri Setia by-election and will relinquish her seat to give way to her father to contest the Permatang Pauh seat.
The move would be seen as the start of the power-transition process for Anwar to replace Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad Mohamad as prime minister, as agreed by the Pakatan Harapan pact before the May 9 general elections.
Anwar had on Thursday said he was in no rush to contest a parliamentary seat and would instead focus on the PKR elections next month.
He said when he decides to return to Parliament, he does not intend to put pressure on Dr Mahathir to make way for him to take over and will continue to support Dr Mahathir’s leadership while working on parliamentary reforms.
