Nurul Izzah Anwar | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| نور العزة أنور | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
_(cropped).jpg) Nurul Izzah inDhaka, 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6th Deputy President of the People's Justice Party | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 24 May 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| President | Anwar Ibrahim | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Rafizi Ramli | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vice President of the People's Justice Party | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 20 July 2022 – 24 May 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| President | Anwar Ibrahim | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 28 November 2010 – 17 December 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| President |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chairperson of theConsideration of Bills Select Committee | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 4 December 2018 – 18 July 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Position established | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Ramkarpal Singh | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1980-11-19)19 November 1980 (age 45) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political party | People's Justice Party (1998–present) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouses | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parents |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | www | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nurul Izzah binti Anwar[a] (born 19 November 1980) is a Malaysian politician,social policy activist, and public servant. She representedLembah Pantai in theDewan Rakyat from 2008 to 2018 andPermatang Pauh from 2018 to 2022. A member of thePeople's Justice Party (PKR), she has served as its deputy president since 2025. She is the eldest daughter ofAnwar Ibrahim,Prime Minister of Malaysia since 2022, andWan Azizah Wan Ismail,Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia from 2018 to 2020.
Nurul Izzah was born on 19 November 1980, is the eldest daughter of Malaysian politicians. She holds abachelor's degree in engineering fromUniversiti Tenaga Nasional and amaster's degree ininternational relations fromJohns Hopkins University. She became publicly active in 1998 during her father Anwar'sdismissal and imprisonment, participating in theReformasi movement and co-founding the PKR in 1999. She entered parliament in 2008, winning the Lembah Pantai seat, and campaigned onmultiracial inclusivity,government accountability, andsocial justice. In parliament, she advocatedopen government,equitable development, increased representation ofwomen and youth, and policies based on need rather thanethnicity.
In 2010, two years after joining parliament, Nurul Izzah was elected as the PKR's youngest vice president. She retained her Lembah Pantai seat in the2013 general election and was active in promotingpolitical reform, transparency, and parliamentary oversight. She faced several detentions and investigations related to her activism, including under theSedition Act, and engaged in advocacy onSabah sovereignty and electoral matters. In 2018, she won the Permatang Pauh seat, served onparliamentary committees, and led initiatives such as theTVET Empowerment Committee and theMultidimensional Poverty Index report. She resigned as PKR vice-president in 2018 but was reappointed for the 2022–2025 term. After losing her parliamentary seat in 2022, she served as an adviser oneconomic andsocial policy and chaired thethink tank Social & Economic Research Initiative. In 2025, she was elected deputy president of PKR, focusing on party unity and engagement withgrassroots members.
Nurul Izzah has advocated for greater political participation by women and strengthened legal protections for women and families in Malaysia. She has engaged incivil rights and policy reform, includingnational prison reform, parliamentary reforms such as establishing a central authority for TVET, and introducingprivate member's bills on issues including hate crimes, the Sedition Act, the Petroleum Development Act, andmedia regulation. As MP for Permatang Pauh, she contributed topublic health, women'svocational development,poverty studies, and recognition of technical and vocational skills. She has also supported Palestinian rights, calling for an end to theIsraeli occupation and submitting protest notes to multiple embassies with parliamentary and civil society backing. Domestically, she has emphasised the need for locally rooted leadership in Sabah, accountability over theFreedom Flotilla incident, and careful review ofcorporal punishment in schools.
Nurul Izzah Anwar, born on 19 November 1980,[2] is the eldest daughter of Malaysian politiciansAnwar Ibrahim andWan Azizah Wan Ismail.[3] She received her early education atSekolah Kebangsaan Bukit Damansara [ms] inKuala Lumpur, followed by secondary schooling at Sekolah Menengah Sri Bandaraya andSekolah Menengah Assunta [ms] inPetaling Jaya. Nurul Izzah began her tertiary studies atUniversiti Teknologi Petronas before transferring toUniversiti Tenaga Nasional,[4] where she earned aBachelor's degree in electrical and electronic engineering in 2004.[5] She later completed aMaster's degree ininternational relations, specialising inSoutheast Asian studies, at theSchool of Advanced International Studies,Johns Hopkins University inWashington, graduating in May 2007.[4][6]
Nurul Izzah became a public figure in 1998 following the dismissal and imprisonment of her father[7] oncharges of sodomy and corruption.[8] As the eldest child, she took on an active role in theReformasi movement, earning the nicknamePuteri Reformasi ("Princess of Reform")[9] for her leadership alongside her mother.[b][11] In 1999, she became one of the co-founders of thePeople's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat, PKR), amultiethnic party formed in response to her father's arrest.[12] Her image as a young reformist resonated widely, especially among younger Malaysians, and thatPrime MinisterMahathir Mohamad was inspired to establish thePuteriUMNO in 2001,[13] ayouth wing for young women, as a counter to her and Wan Azizah's growing influence.[14]
In a June 2002 interview, Nurul Izzah expressed her continued resentment towards formerInspector-General of PoliceAbdul Rahim Mohd Noor for assaulting and imprisoning her father in 1998. She spoke about the long-term impact on her father's health, the emotional toll on her siblings, and the burden she carried as the eldest child during his incarceration.[13] She later revealed that she found it difficult to balance expectations when asked to contest the2004 general election while still a student, describing the experience as a conflict between her dedication to the reform movement and her academic commitments.[15]
In the2008 general election, Nurul Izzah made her parliamentary debut[11] by winning theLembah Pantai seat, defeating thenWomen's MinisterShahrizat Abdul Jalil[7][16] in what was widely regarded as a majorpolitical upset.[17] Despite being relatively inexperienced, she was seen by many voters as qualified, well-educated, and principled. Representing her party, she campaigned against Malaysia's entrenchedrace-basedpolitical system, advocating instead for a multiracial and inclusive vision ofnational unity aligned with the principle of1Malaysia.[18] Securing 21,728 votes against Shahrizat’s 18,833, her appeal among both male voters and single mothers was seen as key to her victory.[19]
Nurul Izzah advocatedopen government,equitable development, and putting an end to race-based patronage following her entry into parliament. She supported broadcasting parliamentary sittings and greaterpublic scrutiny and investment, describing her experience in theDewan Rakyat as demanding but essential to ensuring government accountability. She promoted the representation ofwomen in politics to correct gender imbalance, emphasisedPakatan Rakyat's commitment to democratic change andsocial justice despite federal-level resistance, and demanded increased political participation by youth. She also supported transparency inpublic spending, community participation in governance, and policies determined by need rather than ethnicity.[20]
Nurul Izzah became the youngest person to hold the position of vice-president of the PKR at the age of 30, two years after she joined the Dewan Rakyat in 2008.[21][7] Her appointment was officially announced on 28 November 2010 during the PKR's7th National Congress. The same congress also ratifiedAzmin Ali as deputy president.[22] By 2012, she had gained rising influence among youth and reform-minded voters, reflecting her growing role within the party and Malaysian politics.[7] In that same year, Nurul Izzah was recognised as aYoung Global Leader by theWorld Economic Forum, an honour awarded to outstanding leaders under 40 for their professional achievements and contributions to society.[23]
.jpg)
In the 2013 general election, Nurul Izzah defended her Lembah Pantai seat againstRaja Nong Chik fromBarisan Nasional (BN),[24] winning with a majority of 1,848 votes, receiving 31,008 votes compared to Raja Nong Chik's 29,161.[25] Her support came largely from middle- and upper-class voters. She raised concerns about electoral irregularities, describing the contest as one of Malaysia's most contested elections, and unsuccessfully challenged the inclusion of over 5,000untraceable voters. She emphasised her commitment to political processes that are transparent and conducted according to established rules.[19] In August 2013, she called for Malaysia to pursue independent reforms rather than accept the terms of theTrans-Pacific Partnership Agreement without scrutiny, advocating stronger parliamentary oversight, political reforms, economic restructuring, and the protection ofnatural resources to safeguardnational interests and international competitiveness.[26]
On 16 March 2015, Nurul Izzah was detained under theSedition Act 1948 for participating in the #KitaLawan rally,[27] an anti-government movement in Malaysia that included protests against theGoods and Services Tax and other government initiative.[28]Lim Kit Siang argued that the arrest violated theHouses of Parliament (Privileges and Powers) Act 1952, which protects MPs' statements in Parliament except on matters involving themonarchy,national language,Malay privileges, orcitizenship. He described the arrest as illegal and called on theAttorney General to act.[29] TheInternational Commission of Jurists condemned the detention, demanded her immediate release, and called for the repeal of the Sedition Act, stating that it was being used to restrictfreedom of expression.[30]Amnesty International also criticised her arrest and overnight detention.[27] She was released the following day after spending a night in custody.[31]
In November 2015, Nurul Izzah met withJacel Kiram, daughter of the self-proclaimedSultanJamalul Kiram III, in the Philippines. The meeting was part of a delegation visit arranged by local hosts.[32] She stated that the purpose was to support peace efforts and reaffirm PKR's commitment to Sabah's sovereignty. SomeSabah politicians, including leaders from theSabah Progressive Party and theUnited Progressive Kinabalu Organisation, expressed distrust over the visit, viewing it as potentially supportive of the Kiram family's territorial claims. The incident prompted debate about her judgement and awareness of Sabah'ssecurity sensitivities.[33][34][35]
As discussions were underway on potential cooperation within thePakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, Nurul Izzah told then-Attorney GeneralTommy Thomas in January 2016 that her family no longer trusted Mahathir due to his past actions against her father and remained sceptical about forming a political alliance with him.[36] In March, she was questioned by theRoyal Malaysia Police (RMP) under Section 504 of thePenal Code and Section 233 of theCommunications and Multimedia Act 1998 for reposting on Instagram a controversial sketch of Prime MinisterNajib Razak as a clown by activistFahmi Reza; she declined to answer questions, described the investigation as "trivial," and framed it as an act of intimidation intended to encourageself-censorship.[37] In May, she was barred from enteringSarawak to participate in a state election campaign after immigration officials cited a ban on "unsavoury elements" imposed byChief MinisterAdenan Satem, which she described as a restriction on legitimate political activity while highlighting ongoing controversies surrounding Najib and theruling coalition.[38]
In early 2017, Nurul Izzah was involved in several high-profile political and legal developments reflecting her role as both parliamentarian and reform advocate. In February, thehigh court rejected theElection Commission's (EC) request to delay a judicial review she and ten voters had filed against proposed constituency redelineation inPeninsular Malaysia, including for her Lembah Pantai seat.[39] In March, she was accused by Tengku Sarifuddin Ahmad, press secretary to Prime Minister Najib, of instigating residents ofKampung Kerinchi to takelegal action against the government's 2012 plan to redevelop the Kerinchi public flats. She denied instructing residents to pursue thelawsuit, stating that she had only facilitated dialogue and provided impartial advice to help families evaluate their options.[40] That month,Deputy Prime MinisterMuhyiddin Yassin criticised her statement thatreligious freedom should extend to all, including Malays, as potentially conflicting withIslamic creed.[41] On 31 March, she was arrested under the Sedition Act atDang Wangi police headquarters over a parliamentary speech condemning her father's earlier sentencing and was later sent toJalan Thavers police station.[42] On 17 July, she claimed at a rally that PH could deliver a more extensiveMass Rapid Transit network at lower cost while improving services, referring to theRM21 billionSungai Buloh–Kajang Line inaugurated by Prime Minister Najib.[43] In that same year, she participated in theForeign and Commonwealth Office'sInternational Leaders Programme.[6]
During the2018 general election, Nurul Izzah contested and won the parliamentary seat forPermatang Pauh inPenang,[6] succeeding her mother. She secured 35,534 votes, defeating BN's Mohd Zaidi Mohd Said and theMalaysian Islamic Party (PAS) candidateAfnan Hamimi, who received 19,866 and 14,428 votes respectively, giving her a majority of 15,668.[44][45] She stated that she would remain in Permatang Pauh until the end of the term, despite speculation that she might vacate the seat for her father,[46] who had been released from prison on 16 May.[47] In June that year, she was appointed chairperson of the newly formedTechnical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Empowerment Committee, announced by then-education ministerMaszlee Malik.[48]
In May 2018, Nurul Izzah pledged to re-table a motion to abolish thePrinting Presses and Publications Act 1984 and to establish a media council for self-regulation, emphasising the need for reforms to support truth and fair criticism in Malaysia'smedia.[49][50] In December, she was appointed to thePublic Accounts Committee[51] and to one of six newbipartisan parliamentary select committees, serving on theConsideration of Bills Select Committee.[52] On 17 December 2018, she announced her resignation as PKR party vice president and chair of the PKR's Penang chapter, while retaining her role as MP for Permatang Pauh.[53] In July 2019, she was replaced byRamkarpal Singh as head of the parliamentary Consideration of Bills Select Committee.[54]
In October 2021, Nurul Izzah launched the Permatang PauhMultidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) Report 2021, developed with economist Fatimah Kari to introduce a comprehensive post-pandemic measure of poverty that better reflects the true scale ofdeprivation in Malaysia.[55] In that same year, she delivered a keynote address at theUNFPA Malaysia Forum on Intimate Partner Violence, and co-authored an article in theJournal of the Malaysian Parliament on the state ofparliamentary democracy.[6]
In April 2022, Nurul Izzah announced that she would not contest thePKR elections, stating that she would focus on engaging with fence-sitters ahead of thegeneral election through the Ayuh Malaysia programme she co-founded withRafizi Ramli. She emphasised her intention to strengthen the party and rebuild public confidence after socio-economic challenges and the political crisis.[56] She was re-appointed as one of the PKR's vice-presidents for the 2022–2025 term on 20 July.[57] In August, she expressed frustration over the government's delay in establishing a central authority fortechnical and vocational education and training (TVET), noting that she had proposed such a commission in 2018.[58] In the general election on 19 November 2022, she failed to retain her parliamentary seat in Permatang Pauh, receiving 33,366 votes and losing toMuhammad Fawwaz Mohamad Jan ofPerikatan Nasional-PAS, who won by a majority of 5,272 votes.[59]
In January 2023, Nurul Izzah was appointed senior economics and finance adviser to her father, Prime Minister Anwar, beginning 3 January in anunpaid capacity.[60] Her appointment came after Anwar formed agovernment following decades inopposition and multiple imprisonments, marking his return to national leadership.[61] Her duties included consulting on projects to improve the country's economic situation and gathering feedback from the public, particularly the B40 and M40 (bottom and middle 40% income earners) groups, while emphasising the use of talent both inside and outside government.[62] The appointment prompted allegations ofnepotism, which she and Anwar denied, with the prime minister noting the role was unpaid and focused on regulating government projects and tenders.[63] In February, she stepped down to join the Secretariat of the Finance Advisory Panel, chaired byHassan Marican, assisting ineconomic policy development.[64] In this role, she has also participated in social andeconomic justice policy initiatives throughthink tanks such as Social Economic Research Initiatives (SERI) and Polity.[65][63]
Nurul Izzah completed her tenure at the Secretariat of the Finance Advisory Panel in February 2024.[6] In March 2024, she was appointedchairman of SERI, with a focus onsocial development andeconomic equity, including initiatives addressing the needs of vulnerable groups such as the B40 income group and women.[66] In April 2024, she provided advisory support to the Malaysian Humanitarian Aid and Relief.[6] In September, she participated in the forum marking theInternational Day to Protect Education from Attack inDoha.[67] In November, she joined an overseas government delegation, attending events alongside official visits by Anwar, including the 31stAPEC Economic Leaders' Week and theG20 summit; government officials confirmed her participation was in a professional capacity.[68] She served as SERI's chairman until December 2024. In January 2025, she assumed the role of executive chairperson at Polity.[6]
.jpg)
Following the announcement that the office would be contested in thePKR leadership election, Nurul Izzah ran for the PKR deputy presidency in May 2025. Her candidacy emerged amid intra-party tensions, particularly after Rafizi threatened to resign following divisional election losses. She was reportedly supported by over two-thirds of PKR divisions and became Rafizi's strongest challenger. Rafizi's HIRUK campaign criticised the party's treatment of original reformists and leadership accountability, while Nurul Izzah's DAMAI platform emphasisedparty cohesion and unity. The contest attracted national attention, and she won with 9,803 votes compared to Rafizi's 3,966. She reportedly offered him a role in the new leadership, which he declined. Her position was further consolidated as supporters of her faction retained other senior party roles.[69]
Nurul Izzah formally assumed the PKR deputy presidency on 23 May 2025. Her familial connection to Anwar sparked public discourse and responses regarding nepotism and dynastic politics in Malaysia.[70][71] Both Nurul Izzah and Anwar dismissed these claims, emphasising that she had secured the position through intra-party elections. As deputy president, she was preoccupied with speaking to PKRgrassroots and failed candidates in party polls, calling for unity and involvement by the party for national election results.[65]
Nurul Izzah advocated for greater political participation by women to strengthen legal protections for women and families in Malaysia.[72] She engaged incivil rights and policy reform campaigns, includingnational prison reform as a member of the All Party Parliamentary Group for the Reform of All Places of Detention,[73] and promoted parliamentary reforms such as a central authority for TVET[58] with emphasis on public accountability and feedback from lower- and middle-income groups.[62] She introduced sevenprivate member's bills covering racial and religioushate crimes, the repeal of the Sedition Act, amendments to the Petroleum Development Act, and media regulation. As Permatang Pauh MP, she participated in projects onpublic health, women'svocational development, andpoverty studies, while also advocating for greater recognition of technical and vocational skills and qualifications.[72]
Nurul Izzah has been active in supporting Palestinian rights.[74] She has called for an end to theIsraeli occupation of Palestinian territories.[75] On 20 October 2023, she and the Malaysian Women's Coalition for Al-Quds and Palestine submitted a protest note to theUnited States embassy in Kuala Lumpur, advocating for a resolution to theIsraeli–Palestinian conflict.[76] Later that year, on 8 December, together with the Malaysian Parliament Caucus for Palestine, she submitted protest notes concerning theGaza conflict to the embassies of the United States, theEuropean Union, and theBritish High Commissioner. The notes were signed by 38 MPs, 30NGOs, and political activists.[77] In 2025, she addressed domestic concerns, emphasising the need forvisionary, locally rooted leadership in Sabah to tackle infrastructure, citizenship, and governance issues,[78] and called for accountability over the interception of theFreedom Flotilla, condemnation of the Gaza siege, and lifting of theblockade.[79] She also urged careful consultation with experts and stakeholders regarding the potential reintroduction ofcorporal punishment in schools following a fatal incident inBandar Utama.[80]
On 9 May 2003, 23-year-old Nurul Izzah married Raja Ahmad Shahrir Iskandar, a 26-year-old chemical engineer and distant relative of theJohor royal family. The couple met in 1999 when Nurul Izzah travelled toLondon to rally Malaysian students in support of her father; Raja Ahmad was then a student atCambridge.[81] Both partners began living apart on 17 April 2013, after marital issues first surfaced in 2005. In late December 2013, Nurul Izzah filed fordivorce at the LowerSyariah Court, citingmarital stress. A reconciliation committee was established when the case was initially brought up before a Syariah judge on 21 January 2014, but its attempts were unsuccessful. The court subsequently scheduled a follow-up meeting for 7 August 2014, to discuss the appointment ofarbitrators (Hakam) or the continuation of the proceedings. In the end, the couple went forward with the divorce.[82] They were grantedjoint custody of their two children, Raja Safiyah and Raja Harith.[83]
On 5 August 2022, Nurul Izzah married Yin Shao Loong in an intimate ceremony in Kuala Lumpur, attended by close friends and family. The couple had kept their relationship largely out of the public eye, with only close relatives and trusted circles aware prior to the wedding.[84][85] On 25 January 2023, she shared on social media that she had suffered amiscarriage.[86] In June 2025, Nurul Izzah and Yin performed thehajj pilgrimage together.[87]
Outside of politics, Nurul Izzah likes to study books about politics and society, includingDemocracy in Iran: History and the Quest for Liberty andMemerdekakan Rakyat Memerdekakan Sendiri. She also likes music and movies, and she says she likes bands likeRadiohead,The Strokes, andThe Killers, as well as performers likeJulianne Moore andJohnny Depp. For spiritual grounding, Nurul Izzah enjoysrock music andQuranic recitations. She loves simplicity and genuineness in her familial ties and looks up to strong, resilient people likeAung San Suu Kyi. She enjoys swimming in her spare time and maintains that self-esteem inevitably leads to attractive appearance.[15]
Media related toNurul Izzah Anwar at Wikimedia Commons| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
