Now that Nurul Izzah is the new number 2 of PKR, the question on everybody’s mind is whether she is going to take a cabinet position.
The fact that Rafizi and Nik Nazmi, two PKR heavyweights that lost in the PKR election have resigned from the cabinet, is naturally making everybody wonder whether Nurul Izzah, the biggest winner in the PKR elections, will fill in the cabinet seats that they vacated, and serve also as a government minister.
The departure of the two ministers, as well as the recent move by Tengku Zafrul, who is also a minister, to leave Umno and join PKR, will also most likely warrant a cabinet reshuffle, because Umno has already demanded that Tengku Zafrul returns the cabinet position he holds back to Umno, now that he has left Umno.
On a lesser note, that Ramanan has emerged as the new and second most popular vice president of PKR, will also possibly mean that Ramanan, who is currently serving as a deputy minister, will be given a full ministerial portfolio.
Considering all this, it might be likely that Anwar might use this occasion to revamp the cabinet altogether, and in the new line up, the likelihood that Nurul Izzah might end up with a high level cabinet position, is definitely being speculated heavily amongst the people.
Personally, my gut feeling is that Nurul Izzah might be having reservations about taking on a cabinet role.
My gut feeling is so, because there is something about her countenance and expressions, that inclines me to believe that she is still a person that is governed by her conscience, and when you are governed by your conscience, your conscience will disturb you, whenever you are contemplating on taking an action, that might not fully satisfy your conscience.
She might be contemplating it, despite the reservation from her conscience, because from an intellectual, logical and natural point of view, I am sure that there are 101 reasons to persuade Nurul Izzah to take up a cabinet position.
As a matter of instinct, it is human nature to want things such as power, wealth, status and position. Nurul Izzah had won the PKR elections in a fair and square manner. Previously, when she lost the Permatang Pauh seat in the last general election, she had stepped back from party and government position, so logically, and in all fairness, now that she has won a high position the PKR by election, in a fair and square manner, why shouldn't' she aim for a cabinet position?.
In this world, it is considered just for the victor to get the prize –this how the world works – considering that she has won the recent PKR election, why should she be denied a prize?
Politically speaking, if she takes up a cabinet position, she will also not have to worry about political repercussions. Some analysts are saying that Anwar is facing the “ultimate test” because of Rafizi’s and Nik Nazmi’s resignation, as well as Tengku Zafrul’s move to leave Umno and join PKR, but I don’t think this is the case at all.
I think Anwar’s position today is at the strongest that it has ever been, and now with Nurul Izzah as his deputy, he is even in a stronger position.
At the end of the day, people might support the challenger, but they will follow the winner. Either way, what they will definitely avoid like the plague is the losers.
Anwar and PH are currently the only dominant winners in the country. A lot of his supporters are getting increasingly disappointed, frustrated and dissatisfied with his reign, but this doesn't change the fact that he is the only dominant winner in the country. The opposition, PN, is nowhere close to matching his lead. Considering that, regardless of how disappointed, frustrated and dissatisfied his followers are . In the end, they will still follow him.
Although I think that Rafizi’s and Nik Nazmi decision to resign their cabinet position is principled and admirable move, in terms of perception and realpolitik, I feel that their action will likely cause them to be perceived as losers, which means that in the not too distant future, they might go from the position of strength and relevance that they are in today, to a position of irrelevance and obliviousness.
I think whatever tantrum that Umno is throwing over Tengku Zafrul’s move is but a storm in the teacup, or just something that is expected for them to do under the circumstances. Once they have done throwing the tantrum they are expected to throw, I am quite certain that the supposed “outrage” that they are currently displaying, will thaw and disappear, without making any significant impression in the fabric of reality.
Whatever the pundits are saying, I strongly feel that unless something unexpected happens, Anwar and PH are still going to form the ruling government after the next election.
So what is the problem with Nurul Izzah taking the cabinet position then, you ask ?
Well the problem is that all the explanations I have given, as to why no one can fault Nurul Izzah for taking a cabinet position and no reason why she shouldn't, is the sort of explanation that you would expect from Mahathir's generation.
Mahathir always has an explanation for everything – no matter how unconscionable Mahathir’s actions are, logically, legally and intellectually – he is always able to defend his actions and decisions.
That is part of the reason why Mahathir has not been found to be guilty of any wrongdoing so far, although much of his reign was filled with scandals and outrage, and despite the fact that is his reign that is usually associated with the descend of the nation into the realms of corruption, exploitation and racial and religious tension.
Nurul Izzah is known as the daughter of Reformasi. She herself has claimed that she wishes to carry forth the torch of reformasi.
A key goal of reformasi, as we all know, is to dismantle the excesses and degeneracy of the old regime, and a key requirement to dismantle the excesses and degeneracy of the old regime, is to bring the governance by conscience back into the picture.
To bring back the governance of conscience back in to the picture, instead of suppressing one's conscience, with the brute force of one’s intellectual and logical prowess, one should practise being true to oneself, practise restrain and always make sure that no matter how much one pursues one's self interest, one will not pursue it outside the limits of established principles.
When you have a conscience, you can see everybody as yourself, and have a sense of restraint and empathy governing your actions.
We all want power, money, fame, wealth and recognition.
If you have a conscience, you won’t fault yourself for wanting things like power, position and wealth, but you will also be able to understand that others, like you, want it too, and thus restrain your desires in such a way, that you will only fulfil your self desire, if you have done something to deserve it.
I think it is fair that Nurul Izzah is the new PKR number 2. I think she deserves the number 2 position in PKR.
As for a cabinet position, I think she should wait until she wins a by-election or her party wins the next general election, under her command, before she can say that he has deserved it.
If she does that, I feel that indeed she will be able to carry the torch of reformasi forward, turn back the excesses of Mahathirism, exorcise the country from the plague of corruption, separatism, racism and exploitation that the old regime has possessed us with, with their degenerate value system, , and return the nation again to the right path, where will once again be a land where the people are able to pursue of a true and meaningful happiness, both in this life as well as the next.
TheRealNehruism (nehru.sathiamoorthy@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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