KUALA LUMPUR - The eldest daughter of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was appointed Senior Advisor to the Prime Minister on Economics and Finance on Jan 3.

Ms Nurul Izzah Anwar, 42, who lost her Parliament seat in the November general election, is working pro bono for the government, Datuk Seri Anwar said on Saturday as reported by Malaysiakini.

“I am not paying her any allowances,” he said after an event in his constituency in Tambun, Perak, in response to questions by reporters about her appointment on Saturday.

Mr Anwar has said in December that he, too, won’t be drawing a salary as prime minister and finance minister.

He defended the appointment of his daughter after being criticised by an opposition leader. Bersatu deputy president Ahmad Faizal Azumu asked whether she is qualified for the post as she only has a bachelor’s degree in engineering.

Mr Anwar said Ms Nurul Izzah also has a master’s degree in public policy from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

Ms Nurul Izzah told The Star in an interview published on Saturday: “I have been serving as Senior Advisor to the Prime Minister on Economics and Finance effective Jan 3, 2023.

“It is my fervent hope that my past experience in the legislature as an MP, work on poverty and technical and vocational education, and service on the Public Accounts Committee can be leveraged in my engagement with experts in navigating economic governance, accountability, and evidence-based policies.”

She is one of the seven vice-presidents of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) which is led by her father. PKR is the lead party in Malaysia’s governing coalition.

Ms Izzah was elected a federal lawmaker in 2008 when she was 27, but lost her family’s traditional stronghold of Permatang Pauh, on mainland Penang, in the November 2022 national polls.

Defending her daughter’s qualification, PM Anwar - who is a graduate of Malay studies - said he didn’t have the qualifications to be finance minister, and pointed out that many Cabinet ministers from Mr Faizal’s opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN) did...