At Asean Symposium, Anwar warns against elitism and moral decline
KUALA LUMPUR, June 26 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today reiterated that only positive reforms can ensure the nation's social stability, economic resilience and good governance.
Delivering the keynote address at the Asean Symposium 2025 here today, Anwar said the leaders and institutions need to commit to meaningful change to reverse societal decline and instil values rooted in justice and integrity.
'For the growth, we use it for the benefit of our society and mankind. We are grounded with idealism, therefore strong values and ethics. But one, two, three generations passed, and then we find this degradation of ethical values and principles.
'We have lost that idealism. Those in power, we want to emerge well. Those elites, for whatever reasons, either support one side or are obsessed with a particular value or interest, disregarding the totality and the complexity of the economy,' he said.
The one-day symposium themed 'Anchoring Asean's Future in Shared Wisdom: Empowering Communities for an Inclusive and Sustainable Civilisation' gathered policymakers, civil society leaders, academics and youth representatives from across the Asean region to deliberate on building a shared, inclusive future for the region. — Bernama
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
41 minutes ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Sabah Umno open to working with GRS, but only if it's sincere
Sabah Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin said overlapping seat claims with GRS in areas such as Pantai Dalit and Tanjong Keramat were a major hurdle to cooperation. PETALING JAYA : Sabah Umno is open to working with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) in the upcoming state election, but only if the ruling coalition is sincere in its approach to seat negotiations, says its chief Bung Moktar Radin. Claiming GRS tended to change its stance once an agreement had been reached, Bung said: 'We are still open to working with any local party, but they must be sincere. We don't want insincerity. 'What I mean by insincerity is that we agree on something today, then tomorrow they change their stand or change their decision on seats or put their candidates as independents for seats which we are contesting,' Bung told FMT. Bung said overlapping seat claims in places such as Pantai Dalit and Tanjong Keramat were making negotiations harder. 'That's why GRS has to be sincere when it negotiates with us,' he said. 'Our doors are still open. It is not too widely open and neither is it tightly shut.' However, Bung said Umno did not expect major problems with Sabah Pakatan Harapan (PH) over seat distribution, as the two coalitions typically contested in different areas – PH in urban seats, and Umno in rural constituencies. He added that Sabah Umno was looking to contest in 35 seats, up from 32 in the last state election. Bung's latest comments mark a shift from his stance earlier this month, where he reportedly said that Sabah Umno would not work with GRS and would consider cooperation only after the outcome of the polls. Barisan Nasional and PH earlier announced an alliance for the Sabah polls, which must be held by the end of the year. However, the alliance prompted GRS to threaten to go solo. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim then stepped in and called for PH-BN to work with the state coalition. Masiung Banah, Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah vice-president, was reported to have said that GRS was expected to contest at least 53 seats, while PH would go for 20 under their electoral pact. GRS and PH are currently allies in the Hajiji Noor state government, while BN sits in the opposition in the Sabah legislative assembly.
Free Malaysia Today
43 minutes ago
- Free Malaysia Today
PBS rejects working with BN in Sabah polls
PBS acting president Joachim Gunsalam said the party would remain loyal to GRS and strengthen ties with Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR). (Facebook pic) PETALING JAYA : Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) has ruled out working with Barisan Nasional (BN) for the upcoming 17th Sabah state elections. Acting president Joachim Gunsalam said the decision was made after a majority of the party's Supreme Council members voted against forming an alliance with BN, Bernama reported. He said PBS remains committed to the ruling coalition, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS). 'PBS also reiterates its commitment to strengthening ties and cooperation with GRS component Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR), led by Jeffrey Kitingan,' he was quoted as saying in a statement today. BN and Pakatan Harapan have announced an alliance for the Sabah polls, prompting GRS to threaten to go solo. GRS and PH are currently allies in the Hajiji Noor state government, while BN sits in the opposition in the Sabah legislative assembly. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, as PH chairman, has since called for PH-BN to work with the state coalition. Sabah Umno, which previously rejected working with GRS, recently said it was open to a collaboration if the ruling coalition approaches seat negotiations with sincerity. The current term of the Sabah state assembly expires on Nov 11.
Free Malaysia Today
44 minutes ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Govt to expand NSRC to cover all cybercrimes
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the upgraded National Scam Response Centre would serve as a central hub to coordinate cybercrime response across all government agencies. KUALA LUMPUR : The government has agreed to expand the role of the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) to cover all forms of cybercrime, says Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. He said a nationwide 24-hour response network, driven by coordination across multiple government agencies, will also be established to enhance cybercrime response capabilities. 'The strengthening of the NSRC will involve integrating local expertise, improving inter-agency coordination, and increasing human resources,' he said in a Facebook post. He said he had earlier chaired a special meeting of the national cybersecurity committee (JKSN) to evaluate immediate measures to bolster the NSRC. Anwar said nearly 4.7 billion online scam attempts had been recorded since 2022, a staggering figure that called for urgent, coordinated action. He said the home ministry and the police had been tasked with fast-tracking the implementation of the NSRC's new structure, which would include ensuring its functions were clearly defined and accessible to the public. A 'no wrong door' approach will also be adopted to simplify the complaint and assistance process, allowing victims to seek help from any agency without being redirected, Anwar said. 'I urge all agencies to act more proactively and think ahead to ensure comprehensive protection for the people. 'At the same time, our national cyber defence readiness must continue to be enhanced, both domestically and in collaboration with international partners,' he added.
