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Malaysian Political Activist

Meet
Nurul Izzah

Nurul Izzah Anwar is an activist, legislator and public servant, pursuing justice, economic equality, societal fairness and innovation, for all Malaysians, over a professional career of 25 years.

Her first engagement with politics began with the founding of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (KEADILAN) in 1999. At 18, Nurul Izzah played a pivotal role in KEADILAN’s formation, which has since become Malaysia’s successful, multiracial political party.

In 2008, she won her first parliamentary election in Lembah Pantai. She defeated the most popular female minister in Malaysia then – a three-term, administration incumbent.

During her first term she launched a constituency service centre offering free tuition to struggling, low-income students, and organised medical camps to lower-income residents at various People’s Housing Program (PPR) flats. She co launched with My Kasih Foundation, the first cashless food stamp system in Malaysia in her constituency – enabling poor families to purchase groceries with dignity. These accomplishments were altogether more notable given she received no federal government support for them.

Nurul Izzah won re-election in 2013, further burnishing her credentials as an effective policymaker and legislator, introducing seven private member bills. She advocated for the abolition of the Printing Presses and Publications Act to promote greater media freedom.

In 2018 Nurul Izzah transferred to her family’s historical constituency in Permatang Pauh, Penang, where she won with a 15,000-vote margin. During this term she introduced Malaysia’s inaugural Multidimensional Poverty Index report in 2021. Adopted by the Malaysian Federal Government as an effective means for evaluating societal well-being, the Index is a tangible example of her ability to create effective policy instruments.

Though unsuccessful in her bid for re-election in 2022, Nurul Izzah served as a Senior Advisor to the Prime Minister on Economics and Finance in early 2023 – a post which is now held by Nurhisham Hussein, former EPF Chief Economist.

During this period, she oversaw the creation of the GovTech Nucleus Unit to provide a core of industry-standard expertise to improve the quality of government digital products while drastically reducing cost and development time, as well as to provide advisory on the Government’s strategically important digital products.

Nurul Izzah continues to serve as a senior leader of KEADILAN. She has served as Co-election Director and formerly was Head of the Women’s Caucus representing KEADILAN in parliament.

She is also co-chairperson of the Secretariat of the Special Advisory Body to the Minister of Finance, serving Tan Sri Hassan Marican.

Nurul Izzah is the eldest child of YAB Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Datuk Seri Dr. Wan Azizah, eldest among four sisters and one brother. She holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from UNITEN and has a Master’s degree in International Relations with a focus on Southeast Asia Studies from the School of Advanced International Studaies-Johns Hopkins University in Washington, D.C.

A mother of three children, Nurul Izzah is committed to proving Islam and democracy can work hand-in-hand, offering a robust path forward for national development and progress.