WITH or without a position in the Pakatan Harapan cabinet, Nurul Izzah Anwar remains committed to the reform agenda, saying she is “here to work”.

The PKR vice-president said now is the time to fulfil election pledges, address loopholes and inequality, and boost education standards, rather than focus on positions.

“I will do my part as a reformist. That is my concern, my focus. I am quite happy,” she told reporters at Komtar today, after paying a courtesy call on Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.

“To be fair to me, I have always said that, and I have been very consistent. I took up the offer to be a candidate in the elections because I am committed to the reform agenda.

“I care for my children, and I want to see a better Malaysia for them.”

The Permatang Pauh MP, who is the eldest daughter of PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim and Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, is one of the brightest stars in Malaysian politics.

Despite being one of the country’s most promising and popular young politicians, she is not on the list of ministers to be sworn at Istana Negara today.

It was reported that Anwar said Nurul Izzah had declined a cabinet post.

The three-term MP, who previously held the Lembah Pantai seat, said she did not know that people had been concerned about her not being part of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s cabinet.

“That is very sweet… that people are concerned and vocal, asking me to be part of it (the cabinet). That’s a gratifying moment in my life.

“I have always appreciated that that is what being a public servant means… that people want you to do something, not you trying to claim that you deserve anything from them.”

The 38-year-old said taking up a government post is not everything.

“We have to start inculcating (the idea) that everyone is a shareholder with a part to play. Ministers alone do not dictate the path taken by the country.

“Remember, we won this (14th general election) because of the people. I am here doing my work.”

Nurul Izzah has been in Penang since the weekend, attending programmes and getting briefed by state agencies and governmental departments on projects in her parliamentary constituency.

Today, she went to the Central Seberang Prai district office, district police headquarters and Seberang Prai Municipal Council (MPSP) before meeting the chief minister at Komtar.

At MPSP and the Chief Minister’s Office, she spoke about Penang taking the lead in sustainable development, tackling floods, green practices, recognising villages and growing cottage industries, as well as becoming a more compassionate state.

“We cannot focus on politics. We have to focus on the people,” she said, pledging to bring programmes aimed at addressing the needs of the B40, or bottom 40% of households, group.

“I am preparing more robust and modern programmes on this. I did it in Lembah Pantai, collaborating with many civil society organisations.

“I will continue these programmes and bring them up further for consumption in Penang.” – May 21, 2018.