A fierce political clash has erupted as Ummi Hafilda Ali — long seen as one of the most persistent adversaries of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim — launched a scathing attack on Nurul Izzah Anwar over PKR’s involvement in the upcoming Sabah state election.
Her criticism followed Nurul Izzah’s recent assertion that PKR’s role in the 17th Sabah state polls was driven by public trust rather than political gain. Ummi, however, dismissed the statement as disingenuous, accusing the PKR deputy president of attempting to manipulate Sabah voters while ignoring her own declining influence.
She reminded Nurul Izzah of her failure to retain Permatang Pauh in the 2022 general election, a seat that had long been viewed as the Anwar family’s political stronghold. Ummi also took aim at PKR’s internal history, pointing to the fall of former deputy president Rafizi Ramli — whom Nurul replaced — describing him as someone who had sacrificed heavily for Anwar’s cause before being sidelined.
According to Ummi, Sabahans were being courted merely as a tool for expanding PKR’s power base. She warned that voters in the East Malaysian state were wise enough to decide their own future without being swayed by promises she believed would fade immediately after polling day.
Her criticism grew even more blistering as she likened Nurul Izzah’s political style to her father’s, alleging that both relied on excessive rhetoric rather than meaningful action. She referred to PKR as a family-centric organisation, pointing to the leadership roles held by multiple members of the Anwar family.
Further intensifying her attack, Ummi challenged Nurul Izzah to list tangible achievements under Anwar’s leadership since he became prime minister. She questioned whether there had been any significant milestones that genuinely improved the lives of ordinary Malaysians and demanded clarity on how many vulnerable groups the administration had reached out to — from low-income families and single mothers to struggling entrepreneurs.
Ummi pressed on with a series of pointed questions, asking how many housing projects, welfare initiatives or youth rehabilitation efforts had been successfully spearheaded under the current government. She suggested that leadership should be measured by the ability to uplift millions facing hardship, rather than by delivering speeches or presenting political narratives.
The veteran political critic also highlighted her long history with the Anwar family, recalling her role in events that contributed to his downfall in the late 1990s. She expressed concern that unresolved social issues — including poverty, education struggles and youth delinquency — remained unaddressed while political leaders continued to focus on electoral strategy.
As Sabah braces for a closely watched state election, Ummi’s heated intervention adds another layer of tension, further intensifying scrutiny of PKR’s intentions and the Anwar family’s political legacy.
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