Corruption is corruption, not an issue of race or religion, says Anwar

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Kritik
22 Aug 2026
13
SubCategory | Political Debates

Corruption is corruption, not an issue of race or religion, says Anwar

By Zakiah Koya

BANGI: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim says he is not targeting Malay and Muslim agencies, but if wrongdoing happens at bodies under government purview, action must be taken regardless of who runs the body.

The Prime Minister said it was unbecoming to accuse him of selective persecution when agencies run by Muslims should be the best example to all in eliminating corruption and wrongdoing.

He said that investigations into Felda are ongoing, and action will be taken if wrongdoing is found.

"The special task force has started investigating past wrongdoings at Felda, and I am waiting for the investigations to complete before announcing further action. The focus is on improving Felda's management and identifying past problems. What is important is to find solutions and identify the steps forward," said Anwar.

He said this to the media after a meet and greet session with more than 300 media managers from across the country at a hotel here today (Aug 21).

Earlier, in his speech, Anwar said there is no need for Muslims to be ashamed to admit corruption and correct past wrongdoings, even if the agency or body involved was run by Muslims for Muslims.

"We take action. We do not ask whether it is a Malay company or a government company. If we identify a problem, we will take action. And do not turn this into an issue of race or religion. Take Tabung Haji, for example. In fact, if you ask me, Muslims and Malays should be even more serious and meticulous when it comes to management, ethics, and values. Because we should set an example.

"In our religious outreach, what do we call it? The most effective form of preaching is setting an example.

"You have all read the White Paper. I have also established a special task force and the Felda Recovery Committee. Our objective is to safeguard its role and prevent the harm that has happened in the past. Do not let it happen again.

"And what I find most regrettable is that people assume there is no problem. They think everything is fine," said Anwar.

He further stated that even if the corruption was in the past, it is his duty to put things right in any government agency.

“Yesterday, I chaired a meeting of the Khazanah board. Khazanah is the richest and largest investment institution in the country. Among the issues raised was an old issue involving a company, perhaps dating back to 2015 or 2017 - it has been around for a long time. But regardless of how long ago it happened, let me remind you now: we have identified several weaknesses in governance and management," said Anwar.

He warned that any agency's glorious past can be destroyed by the greed of a few.

"But today, when there is corruption in Islamic bodies, we are told not to highlight it as it will bring shame. We should set an example and clean up (the corruption). There is no perfection in this world and where there are mistakes, we should correct them. People would accept it when we clean up and correct the wrongdoings," said Anwar.

On Thursday (Aug 20), PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang said that scrutiny of Tabung Haji’s alleged mismanagement was exaggerated to damage the image of Malay-Muslims, comparing it to unaddressed issues in other institutions.

Abdul Hadi was referring to the recent declassified report of a Royal Commission of Inquiry on Tabung Haji, which stated there were massive financial losses, misleading accounting practices, and political interference between 2014 and 2020.

Source: https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2026/08/21/corruption-is-corruption-not-an-issue-of-race-or-religion-says-anwar

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