GE15 - Nurul Izzah vs Zuraida in Ampang?

Malaysiakini:



Nurul Izzah vs Zuraida: Battle of giants in Ampang?

Days after PKR revealed that Pakatan Harapan’s seat negotiations are now at an advanced stage, speculation has emerged that the party is mulling a battle of giants in Gombak.

PKR is said to be wanting its 'Reformasi princess', Nurul Izzah Anwar, to be fielded in the Ampang parliamentary seat.

The seat is highly symbolic for PKR, which was deeply stung when its vice-president Zuraida Kamaruddin turned on the party and defected to Bersatu last year, resulting in the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government.

Zuraida, who held the seat for three terms since 2008, had followed then PKR deputy president Azmin Ali, who led an en masse defection to Bersatu.

Also being considered is for Nurul Izzah to also contest in the state seat of Bukit Antarabangsa, which Azmin has held since 2008.

Bukit Anatarabangsa is a state seat under the parliamentary seat of Ampang.

A senior PKR leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity as he is not authorised to reveal details about the seat negotiations, did not deny the proposal but said nothing had been decided yet.

“No decision has been reached,” he told Malaysiakini.

On March 8, PKR president Anwar Ibrahim said seat negotiations with its Pakatan Harapan partners were ongoing and that they will also consider accommodating other friendly parties.

Anwar also did not rule out possible cooperation with Umno.

Zuraida, when contacted about the possibility of facing off with Nurul Izzah, was unfazed.

“Anyone can contest anywhere they like,” she said.

Also being floated in the political grapevine is the possibility of Amanah’s Husam Musa contesting in Gombak under a PKR ticket.

Gombak is another bitter blow for PKR. It lost the seat following Azmin's defection.

Husam, a former Amanah vice-president, has drifted away from his party’s leadership amid disagreements on their future.

Amanah has seen an upheaval within the party, with at least five assemblypersons defecting to PKR due to unhappiness that the leadership was being too cosy with former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

PKR blames Mahathir for the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government.

The speculation, circulated within PKR circles, suggested that PKR’s Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail may also be moved to Permatang Pauh while Anwar will remain in Port Dickson.

Speculation has also risen on the return of former PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli, but he has previously indicated that he wanted to retire from politics.

Following the defections of Azmin and Zuraida to Bersatu, they have been tasked to lead the charge for Perikatan Nasional in Selangor.

Azmin has been appointed PN information chief and Selangor chief while Zuraida is the Selangor PN election director.

Azmin is the international trade and industry minister while Zuraida is the housing and local government minister.

In July 2020, Zuraida's political secretary Nor Hizwan Ahmad told PKR to stop dreaming about winning the parliamentary constituencies of Ampang and Gombak in the next general election.

"Targeting the Ampang and Gombak MPs as traitors is very inaccurate. I believe voters will not be influenced by such propaganda. They are tired of it," Nor Hizwan had said.