(The Sun Daily) - Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail is non-committal whether she will contest in the next general election (GE), Oriental Daily News reported today.
She however dismissed rumours that her second daughter Nuru Nuha will contest a parliamentary seat in Penang.
On talk that she will contest a state seat in Selangor with a view to close the alleged rift between Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim and party deputy president Azmin Ali, she told the daily in an interview that "it is mere speculation".
"They can speculate as they please," she said, without dropping any hint whether she would contest or not.
She said even if she wants to contest, she still has to get the green light from the party central leadership and ensure that she is acceptable to the electorate.
"To contest is to assume a huge responsibility. An assemblyman must truly serve the people," she said.
Under the Election Act, Wan Azizah, who resigned in 2008 as Permatang Pauh MP to cause a by-election to make way for PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to return to the parliament, will be barred from contesting a parliamentary seat in the 13th GE, but the law does not stop her from contesting a state seat.
On talk that Nuru Nuha will contest in the next general election, Wan Azizah believes it has to do with her daughter being a good orator.
She disclosed that someone has identified Nuru Nuha as a potential election candidate due to her talent in public speaking.
"Like Anwar, they (Nuru Izzah, Nuru Nuha) are good orators, but she (Nuru Nuha) has no intention to contest," she said, adding that her daughter had just become a mother, making it less likely she would contest.
Talk in the Penang political circle is that Nuru Nuha is likely to contest the Nibong Tebal parliamentary seat in place of Tan Tee Beng who has left the party and is now Parti Kesejahteraan Insan Tanah Air (Kita) Penang chief.
During the interview, Wan Azizah explained that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) did not come up with a shadow cabinet to prevent its leaders from becoming targets of personal attacks.
Rebutting Barisan Nasional's constant criticism that PR is not ready to govern, she pointed out that although PR does not have a shadow cabinet, it has a committee to shadow each ministry and look into relevant issues.
"Shadow cabinet? We indeed have such a plan, but Pakatan is still young, and before we come to power, we need to discuss the matter (shadow cabinet) in depth."
She said PR did not name its shadow cabinet partly because it wants to protect its elected representatives.
