Anwar Ibrahim today gave the assurance that his wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail would give up her post as deputy prime minister when he takes over as prime minister.
Anwar said at the moment, it was too early for Wan Azizah to relinquish her post despite the announcement that he would be contesting the Port Dickson parliamentary seat to return to Parliament.
“Why should Wan Azizah step down now? Be patient, once I am appointed, Wan Azizah will step down and there is no need for people to make noise asking her to resign.
Bernama
“If Wan Azizah resigns, PKR will lose the deputy prime minister’s post,” he said.
Recently, many groups, including the National Patriots Association (Patriot) and former Malaysian Bar president Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, have raised their concerns over “potential nepotism” in the government with Anwar’s possible return to mainstream politics if he wins the by-election.
Patriot president Brig-Jen (Rtd) Datuk Mohamad Arshad Raji said that Anwar was creating a family dynasty in Parliament and should have asked his wife or daughter Nurul Izzah Anwar to make way for him, instead of Datuk Danyal Balagopal Abdullah giving up his Port Dickson seat to force a by-election that will pave the way for Anwar to return to Parliament.
Anwar also said he had no intention of immediately taking over from Dr Mahathir Mohamad if he wins the Port Dickson by-election.
“I want to allow Mahathir to carry on with his responsibilities until it’s my turn,” he told a gathering of PKR members in conjunction with the Islamic lunar new year.
Meanwhile, the 71-year-old said he was tired of being repeatedly asked about his relationship with Mahathir.
“We made peace so that we can end our past animosity.
Lim Huey Teng/Malaysiakini
“We felt that with our combined strength, we could topple the Barisan Nasional government,” he said.
