JOHOR BAHRU: Nurul Izzah Anwar has solidified her position in the top leadership of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) by winning the deputy president post for the 2025-2028 term, marking a significant milestone in her political journey.
The success of the ‘Puteri Reformasi’ in securing the post from the sole contender and incumbent, Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli, reflects the grassroots’ confidence in her role and ideals that she has championed since PKR was founded nearly three decades ago.
Nurul Izzah won with 9,803 votes.
Rising from the vice presidency, the 44-year-old Nurul Izzah has now ascended to the party’s second-highest position and is regarded as a leading figure of PKR’s new generation of leadership ahead of the 16th General Election (GE16).
Nurul Izzah, the eldest daughter of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is also PKR president, and Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, held the vice-president post from 2010 until her resignation in 2018.
During the party election in 2022, Nurul Izzah did not contest but was reappointed to the same post. After various rumours, she confirmed her candidacy for deputy president on May 9, taking into account the views of the grassroots.
Prior to this, the Penang State Leadership Council chairman successfully retained her position as Permatang Pauh division chief in the 2025-2028 election.
Nurul Izzah, who holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Universiti Tenaga Nasional and a Master’s degree in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University, USA, advanced her political career by winning the Lembah Pantai parliamentary seat in GE12, defeating the then-incumbent Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.
She retained the same seat in GE13 before shifting to Permatang Pauh, winning decisively in GE14, but lost in GE15.
Throughout her political career, Nurul Izzah has been known as a vocal advocate for human rights, social justice, education, and institutional reform. She has consistently championed issues affecting women, children, and the B40 group in national policy discussions.
She is also known for her values-driven approach to politics, rooted in principles and idealism, with a belief that politics is not merely a contest for power but a platform to advance justice and drive systemic change.
