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MALAYSIA must go further to ensure that reforms under the Madani framework are genuinely anchored in justice, integrity and moral principle, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said, stressing that progress cannot rely on routine measures alone but must address deep-seated systemic failures.
Speaking at the Madani Lecture held in Putrajayalyesterday, Anwar warned that policies which appear rhetorically appealing but are hypocritical in practice will inevitably clash with the ideals of justice, dignity and freedom they claim to uphold.
True reform, he said, must be driven by conviction, courage and consistency.
He explained that being truly “rooted in the ground” requires moving beyond familiar approaches, acknowledging that while existing systems are not a total failure, many of the fundamental causes of injustice and corruption have long been clearly identified and must now be tackled decisively.
Under the Madani framework, Anwar said, Malaysia’s reform agenda places strong emphasis on governance and the eradication of systemic corruption inherited from the past, noting that the country has for years been internationally associated with the 1MDB financial scandal.
He pointed to recent enforcement actions, including what he described as the unprecedented step of charging a sitting army chief, as evidence of a confidence-based courage and the government’s determination to uphold accountability despite political and institutional pressures.
“No matter how wealthy a country is, it cannot remain strong or improve education, public health and infrastructure if billions are lost to corruption,” Anwar said, adding that good governance must be accompanied by moral and ethical balance to ensure sustainable national development.
On the economy, the prime minister said Malaysia is positioning itself as a growing investment hub, particularly in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, digitalisation and the energy transition. At the same time, he said, the country is strengthening regional connectivity through major infrastructure initiatives, including cross-border and undersea cable projects linking Peninsular Malaysia with Sabah and Sarawak.
However, Anwar cautioned that economic advancement and technological development must not come at the expense of identity and values. Malaysia, he said, does not align itself exclusively with either East or West and must preserve its cultural, spiritual and moral foundations.
In this context, he said the philosophy of “reaching for the skies while remaining rooted in the earth” should guide national development, particularly in education. The pursuit of knowledge, technology and innovation, he said, must be firmly grounded in tradition, faith, ethics and noble values.
Anwar said the government has introduced a new higher education plan aimed at integrating intellectual achievement with truth, goodness and wisdom, warning that academic excellence without values would only produce conflict and moral failure.
He added that the responsibility of the younger generation towards education is critical, noting that excellence in learning is not only a duty to oneself and one’s family, but also to society, the nation and the Muslim ummah.
Islam, he said, encourages lifelong learning, humility and critical thinking, and should not be confined to shallow understanding or limited exposure.
The Madani Lecture also featured prominent speaker Sheikh Dr Tahir Wyatt, whose engagement with young people, Anwar said, reflects the importance of deep knowledge, wisdom and ethical grounding in addressing contemporary challenges.
Earlier, during his 30-minute lecture, Sheikh Dr Tahir Wyatt stressed that true success in Islam is not measured by worldly achievement but by complete submission to Allah.
He explained that the Quranic injunction “not to die except as a Muslim” is in fact a command to live in a constant state of submission to Allah, since no one knows when death will come. He added that such submission is particularly difficult for those with strong egos.
“People often reject the truth not because of a lack of evidence, but because arrogance prevents them from submitting. Yet with faith, submission becomes a source of tranquillity,” he said.
He also reminded Muslims that beyond individual responsibilities, the ummah bears a collective duty to remain united.
Sheikh Dr Tahir Wyatt is a senior researcher and lecturer in Islamic studies and comparative religion, and embraced Islam at the age of 15. - January 16, 2026