SHAH ALAM, Aug 8 — Former Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar is still Parti Keadilan Rakyat deputy president, and will continue to serve in her post until the end of the party’s upcoming National Congress in Melaka next week.
Keadilan vice-president Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari had requested that all parties provide space and time for Nurul Izzah to mull over the decision she made.
Amirudin, who is also Keadilan election director, said her duties will be shouldered by Keadilan vice-president Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and himself.
“For now, she is not stepping down. We are giving her time to rest and think about her decision to step down while she is on leave.
“There may be urgent matters she needs to attend to and whatever her decision is, we will respect it,” he told a press conference after tabling the Second Selangor Plan (RS-2) at the Selangor State Legislative Assembly sitting here yesterday.
Amirudin added that Nurul Izzah expressed her intention to the leadership to resign as Keadilan deputy president several days ago.
“In the past two or three months, there has been no more (requests from Nurul Izzah to resign), because we, including her, had discussed election preparations and so on.
“We are giving her time to take a break. Even though she is on leave, Nurul Izzah is still deputy president, but her duties are carried out by several people,” he said.
Previously, the Keadilan Central Leadership Council (MPP) agreed to grant Nurul Izzah temporary leave from her duties as deputy president.
Her leave will take effect after the Keadilan National Congress scheduled from August 15 to 16, until a date to be announced later.
Keadilan information chief Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil said the decision was made at an MPP meeting following a discussion of Nurul Izzah’s application to resign from the position.
Fahmi, who is also communications minister, said the MPP agreed that Saifuddin would temporarily carry out the duties of deputy president.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said his daughter is still a Keadilan member, after she announced she would take a break from politics to further her studies.
