THE greatest mystery in the Mahathir cabinet list issued yesterday is the absence of the most capable woman to serve the country at the highest possible level – Nurul Izzah Anwar.

She has come into her own over the past two decades, first as the eldest daughter of Anwar Ibrahim, who months before turning 18 was the face of Keadilan fighting for her father’s release when he was sacked in 1998.

The Puteri Reformasi is now into the most senior and capable PKR leader after Anwar, her mother party president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and deputy president Azmin Ali.

But the single mother of two young children, who has won every single general election since 2008, has no government post despite being more articulate and experienced than the others listed to work with Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Anwar, the PKR de facto leader, said she did not want any post but party insiders said it was to avoid talk of nepotism as her mother Dr Wan Azizah is also the deputy prime minister.

The other allies in the Pakatan Harapan coalition had expectations that her name would be in the PKR list. But it wasn’t and Dr Mahathir had to pick from the names given to him, said the insiders.

It is understood that during the May 9 election campaign, Nurul Izzah was told that she could be up for a cabinet post if the coalition won the polls. She was the PKR election director and had impressed her allies during the campaign.

Perhaps Dr Mahathir has other plans for the young woman later. But the reality is, this new Malaysia needs Nurul Izzah in a senior post. She is her own woman, not the daughter of two politicians.

And it won’t be a reward. She has worked the past 20 years and the cabinet post is for those who have worked hard, like her and Dr Mahathir. 

Nurul Izzah might feel otherwise but Malaysia needs its best for the future. – May 19, 2018.