How much longer does Nurul Izzah need to pay the price for being the First Daughter?

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reforms) M. Kulasegaran has voiced a sharp surprise over the exclusion of Nurul Izzah Anwar in the recent Cabinet reshuffle. – Scoop file pic, December 19, 2025
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How much longer does Nurul Izzah need to pay the price for being the First Daughter?


DAP leader Kulasegaran is surprised by the PKR deputy president's omission from Cabinet



Sandru Narayanan
Updated 31 seconds ago
19 December, 2025
8:13 AM MYT

KUALA LUMPUR — Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reforms) M. Kulasegaran has voiced a sharp surprise over the exclusion of Nurul Izzah Anwar in the recent Cabinet reshuffle.

The Ipoh Barat MP described the move as puzzling and warned it could potentially damage public perception, despite it being Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s discretion.

Speaking during a Trick Lama podcast hosted by Big Boom Media CEO Datuk Zainul Arifin and Group Editor-in-Chief Terence Fernandez, Kulasegaran described Nurul Izzah as a capable leader with decades of political experience.

“To me, the non-appointment of Nurul Izzah is surprising. I know her personally, and I think she is a very capable person,” he added, noting that while everyone has shortcomings, the optics were poor.

Kulasegaran said the reshuffle must be seen in the context of a coalition government, where the Prime Minister had to prioritise appointments from his own party (PKR) following several resignations.

“Discretion is totally his. Ultimately, it is for the public to judge. The performance of any minister is what matters,” he explained.

He added that Nurul Izzah’s defeat in the last general election should not automatically disqualify someone from public office.

“Elections are like that. You win and lose, lose and win. She could have easily been appointed as a senator,” he said, citing that Nurul Izzah by virtue of being deputy president of PKR can be considered for Cabinet.

Speaking during a Trick Lama podcast hosted by Big Boom Media CEO Datuk Zainul Arifin and Group Editor-in-Chief Terence Fernandez, DAP leader Kulasegaran described Nurul Izzah as a capable leader with decades of political experience.


Kulasegaran also criticised the political disadvantages of being the Prime Minister’s child.

“Our politics can be cruel. Just because she is the Prime Minister’s daughter, she is seen as disentitled, and I disagree with that,” he said.

He stressed that appointments should be based on merit.

“If she is capable, then she is capable and should be allowed to serve. At the end of the day, wisdom and discretion lie with the Prime Minister, and no one else,” said Kulasegaran, a former DAP vice president who withdrew from contesting senior positions in the party to give a chance for younger leaders to come up the ranks.

On Tuesday, Anwar announced the new Cabinet lineup, with several ministers dropped, shifted to different ministries, and new appointments made.

Hannah Yeoh was appointed to replace Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories), while her previous position at Youth and Sports went to Sungai Petani MP, Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari.

Other appointments include Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad as Minister of Plantation and Commodities, Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup as Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability, and Dr Zulkifli Hasan as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs).

Those who were dropped include Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar, Zaliha and K. Saraswathy. – December 19, 2025