Nepotism by ballot: PKR’s family affair can’t be whitewashed

Murray Hunter


Nepotism by ballot: PKR’s family affair can’t be whitewashed

P Ramasamy

Jun 01, 2025





PKR Youth Chief Kamil Abd Munim recently leapt to the defense of his party, boldly claiming that nepotism has no place within PKR. He argued that Nurul Izzah’s election as deputy president—despite being the daughter of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim—was purely democratic, having defeated the more experienced and popular Rafizi Ramli through popular votes.

But Kamil’s defense is not only misguided, it dangerously redefines what nepotism actually is. Nepotism isn’t limited to doling out positions or wealth behind closed doors. It’s also about benefiting from political lineage, where family ties create unfair advantages, even in supposedly democratic processes.

Let’s be honest: would Nurul Izzah have stood a chance against Rafizi if she weren’t Anwar’s daughter? Her refusal to debate him publicly spoke volumes. Had she accepted, Rafizi would likely have exposed the glaring gap in political and intellectual acumen.

Kamil’s attempt to redefine nepotism to suit his party’s narrative is both naïve and deceptive. PKR is increasingly resembling the very Malay hegemonic parties it once stood against. With Anwar as president, his wife as party advisor, and his daughter as deputy president, PKR’s version of “family planning” seems complete. Are there more relatives waiting in the wings?

This isn’t just political optics gone wrong—it’s a betrayal of reformist ideals. If Nurul truly had integrity, she would step down and acknowledge that her victory was more about her surname than her skills.

The government’s promises of reform now ring hollow. Corruption is rampant, and enforcement agencies are being wielded selectively. Meanwhile, certain opportunistic figures within minority communities are parading Nurul as if she were the “Maharani” of the Indian community, further deepening the farce.

Nepotism in PKR is no longer subtle—it’s on full display. Denials won’t erase the public perception. Kamil should stop insulting the intelligence of Malaysians and acknowledge the obvious: PKR has a nepotism problem, and no whitewash will cleanse it.