KUALA LUMPUR: A PKR leader has come out in defence of the move to vacate a parliamentary seat to enable PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to return to active politics.
Selayang member of parliament, William Leong, believes there is nothing wrong with the move, saying that if an individual is capable of making improvements in that constituency, he or she should be given the opportunity to do so.
Leong said the public should see the move as a starting point for Anwar to effect change at a higher level.
“I joined this party to create change. Compared to me, he is definitely more important in terms of bringing about change.
“In terms of change, who is more effective to carry it out? Anwar or me? If the people are voting for change, then it’s more important to make way for Anwar.
“We want to make way for leaders who can do more than we personally can. Anwar was the one who started the reformasi movement. If we truly want our struggle to succeed, then there is no issue in giving way to Anwar,” he told NSTP.
Leong said Anwar’s decision to contest should not be viewed from a narrow perspective.
He instead urged the people not to see it from the perspective of an individual but as a means to achieve a larger and more holistic aim.
“Before this. many people viewed PKR as Anwar’s party. But if we look at it in detail, it is not so much about Anwar as an individual but more about the policies we hope to achieve.
“We should see it from a policy perspective, not just based on the individual. In our manifesto or even the 20 years of reformasi, we should look at what we want to achieve, which is change through reformation.
“It’s not about the individual, about us wanting Anwar to become prime minister. What we want to see is what are the pledges and changes that will be made by Anwar,” he said.
Leong had in August said he would gladly relinquish his seat to allow Anwar to contest a parliament seat, adding that many PKR MPs would also be willing to do so.
Anwar, in a recent interview with NSTP, said he is eyeing a return to Parliament by this year.
His wife, PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail had earlier this week confirmed that a parliamentary seat would be vacated to trigger a by-election and facilitate Anwar’s return.
PKR secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail on Monday said the announcement on where Anwar would contest would only be made on Wednesday when the latter returns from Hong Kong.