SEBERANG JAYA: Anwar Ibrahim was offered the position of deputy prime minister to join the Barisan Nasional (BN) federal government after the 13th General Election, claimed his daughter Nurul Izzah here last night.
Nurul, the PKR vice-president, claimed the offer was made by Prime Minister and BN national chairman Najib Abdul Razak during Umno-PKR post-election reconciliatory talks to form a unity government in 2013.
However, she said her father rejected the offer when it was conditioned that Anwar’s PKR must ditch its allies – DAP and PAS, and leave the BN rival political block Pakatan Rakyat.
“But he (Anwar) rejected the offer outright because he did not want to abandon his friends in Pakatan,” Nurul told a nightly rally at the Agro Expo Site here Saturday..
The rally is part of PKR’s national road show themed “Rakyat Hakim Negara” (People Are The Nation’s Judges) to show support and solidarity for Anwar, who has been jailed for five years since February 10 on a sodomy conviction.
Nurul Izzah revealed that during the talks, PKR and Pakatan de facto leader Anwar had laid his conditions to Umno that greater efforts must be undertaken to clean up the federal government from rampant corruption.
She said Anwar also wanted assurances that Putrajaya would be pro-active in upgrading the country’s education system and spurring economy growth among other things.
The Lembah Pantai MP alleged that the talks broke down when Putrajaya could not assure Anwar that the federal government would fulfil his demands.
Holding back her tears, Nurul continued to narrate how she and her other siblings were proud of their father, whom she described as a fighter who would never surrender to political intimidation.
She claimed that Anwar was a man of principles, who never abused his power nor misappropriated public funds. He was corrupt free, she said.
“We are proud to be his children,” said Nurul.
Among others who spoke were PKR president and Anwar’s wife Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, DAP secretary-general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, PAS deputy president and Penang chief Mohamad “Mat” Sabu, state PKR chief Mansor Othman, Deputy Chief Minister 1 Mohd Rashid Hasnon and other local Pakatan leaders.
In his speech, Mat Sabu stressed that Pakatan would never break up, but would become even stronger by overcoming the current challenges.
He said the past week was a bad week for Pakatan as the coalition lost Anwar to prison and PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat who passed away on Thursday.
He pointed out that Pakatan had lost two strong political personalities in Nik Abdul Aziz and DAP’s former national chairman Karpal Singh in the past one year.
“But will all this break up Pakatan? No … Pakatan will become even stronger and more united,” he told a cheering crowd.
Nurul, the PKR vice-president, claimed the offer was made by Prime Minister and BN national chairman Najib Abdul Razak during Umno-PKR post-election reconciliatory talks to form a unity government in 2013.
However, she said her father rejected the offer when it was conditioned that Anwar’s PKR must ditch its allies – DAP and PAS, and leave the BN rival political block Pakatan Rakyat.
“But he (Anwar) rejected the offer outright because he did not want to abandon his friends in Pakatan,” Nurul told a nightly rally at the Agro Expo Site here Saturday..
The rally is part of PKR’s national road show themed “Rakyat Hakim Negara” (People Are The Nation’s Judges) to show support and solidarity for Anwar, who has been jailed for five years since February 10 on a sodomy conviction.
Nurul Izzah revealed that during the talks, PKR and Pakatan de facto leader Anwar had laid his conditions to Umno that greater efforts must be undertaken to clean up the federal government from rampant corruption.
She said Anwar also wanted assurances that Putrajaya would be pro-active in upgrading the country’s education system and spurring economy growth among other things.
The Lembah Pantai MP alleged that the talks broke down when Putrajaya could not assure Anwar that the federal government would fulfil his demands.
Holding back her tears, Nurul continued to narrate how she and her other siblings were proud of their father, whom she described as a fighter who would never surrender to political intimidation.
She claimed that Anwar was a man of principles, who never abused his power nor misappropriated public funds. He was corrupt free, she said.
“We are proud to be his children,” said Nurul.
Among others who spoke were PKR president and Anwar’s wife Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, DAP secretary-general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, PAS deputy president and Penang chief Mohamad “Mat” Sabu, state PKR chief Mansor Othman, Deputy Chief Minister 1 Mohd Rashid Hasnon and other local Pakatan leaders.
In his speech, Mat Sabu stressed that Pakatan would never break up, but would become even stronger by overcoming the current challenges.
He said the past week was a bad week for Pakatan as the coalition lost Anwar to prison and PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat who passed away on Thursday.
He pointed out that Pakatan had lost two strong political personalities in Nik Abdul Aziz and DAP’s former national chairman Karpal Singh in the past one year.
“But will all this break up Pakatan? No … Pakatan will become even stronger and more united,” he told a cheering crowd.
