KUALA LUMPUR, March 25 — Nurul Izzah Anwar should remain in politics and contest in the 15th general elections due in about five years’ time, Johor PKR chief Hassan Abdul Karim said in a plea to his party colleague today.

In an open letter to Nurul Izzah, Hassan urged the eldest daughter of PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to continue her political career.

“As Pasir Gudang MP and Johor PKR chairman, I ask that YB Nurul Izzah Anwar continues to be involved in Malaysian politics,” he said in his letter that touted Nurul Izzah’s leadership skills.

“I ask that Nurul Izzah be prepared to be a candidate in the 15th general election,” he said.

“To me, Nurul Izzah Anwar is an asset to Malaysia,” he said.

He noted that Nurul Izzah has wide parliamentary experience as she has served three terms as MP, also adding that she had been PKR vice-president for more than two terms.

He said multicultural and multiracial Malaysia needs a leader and politician who has a vision for reforms, integrity and is principled like her.

“So I ask that Nurul Izzah Anwar, who calls me Pak Hassan, listens to my plea,” he said, with such a term roughly translating to Uncle Hassan.

Nurul Izzah, who is currently Permatang Pauh MP, was last Friday reported saying that her current plan is for this to be her final term as a federal lawmaker.

She was quoted telling Singapore’s Straits Times (ST) that she was disappointed with the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration “slow pace” on reform and policies, among other things.

On the same day, she quit the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

Late last year, Nurul Izzah resigned from all her party and government positions following allegations of nepotism. Her mother, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, is the deputy prime minister and her father, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, is touted as the next prime minister.

She had then relinquished her new appointment as the party’s Penang chief and her other federal government appointments, including as chairman of the special task force on the problem-riddled Technical and Vocational Education Training.

She had also then resigned from her vice-president post in the party.