Nurul Izzah appointment a possible smokescreen, but damage done - analysts

SHAH ALAM - Nurul Izzah Anwar's appointment as senior economic and finance advisor to her father, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, could be damaging, causing discomfort among the people.

Singapore Institute of International Affairs senior fellow Dr Oh Ei Sun said the appointment might not attract those who were not Anwar supporters, who held conservative and religious views or whose personal interests could only be served by Anwar's opponents.

“Those who support Anwar will have to continue to do so, even if they felt very uncomfortable with this or other controversial appointments. It is because if they stop supporting Anwar, the country is likely to be overrun by the regressive and religiously motivated green wave, which is antithetical to the progressive and reformist ideology of these erstwhile Anwar supporters,” he told Sinar Daily.

Oh added that that currently, the people would have to choose the lesser of two evils.

Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) political analyst Dr Abdul Aziz Azizam agreed this appointment was not a good move, whilst the government was still struggling to grasp a fresh new perception from the public.

“This actually creates new damage, discomfort among the public about the obvious cronyism practised,” he added.

Abdul Aziz, however, believed that this announcement during the Umno cleanse was quite strategic.

“While the public was busy with Umno cleanse, the issue of Nurul Izzah’s appointment may not become a prolonged subject,” he said.

International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) political analyst Dr Syaza Shukri did not view the appointment as cronyism or nepotism.