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PKR must confront growing public concerns and fears and offer concrete solutions if Pakatan Harapan (PH) is to rebuild confidence and secure victory at the 16th General Election, said PKR Youth chief Muhammad Kamil Munim.
He said the time remaining before GE16 was limited and should be used by party leaders and grassroots members to address weaknesses, strengthen the party machinery and improve their ability to serve and convince voters.
“Society is being deceived by sentiment, but if we lack knowledge, awareness and do not prepare ourselves to lead, I fear that we will face an even more difficult path.
“Our task from today is to identify these concerns and fears and offer solutions to the problems. It must begin with all of us here, the leadership and the grassroots,” he said during the winding-up session of the 2026 PKR National Congress at the Melaka International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITC) today.
Kamil said Malaysia’s political system required elected representatives and political leaders to work at the grassroots and earn the confidence of voters in their respective constituencies.
“That is what will determine and ensure that Datuk Seri President (Anwar) can be retained for a second term. To the delegates, make this shift (change),” he said.
He pointed to PKR’s history of political breakthroughs, saying the party had repeatedly produced major changes at roughly 10-year intervals since the Reformasi movement began in 1998.
“KEADILAN has a history of creating a surprise every 10 years. We started in 1998. Ten years later, in 2008, for the first time we denied UMNO and Barisan Nasional (BN) their two-thirds monopoly in Parliament.
“Ten years later, in 2018, under the KEADILAN banner, we succeeded in toppling the UMNO and BN regime. Ten years later, perhaps in 2028, we will be able to create another surprise,” he said.
Kamil said the reform agenda required patience and consistency, stressing that reforms would continue to be implemented when the appropriate time arrived.
He also highlighted Malaysia’s recovery of international confidence during Anwar’s four years as Prime Minister, following the reputational damage caused by the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal.
“In the four years that the country has been led by Datuk Seri President, we have seen impressive achievements. Over the past 10 years, our country became known throughout the world for the wrong reasons.
“A small country suddenly became famous because it was involved in one of the biggest financial scandals in the world,” he said.
He said the Government had since worked to restore Malaysia’s standing through stronger leadership and efforts to strengthen the economy.
“During that period, we saw our country, which had previously been tainted by the incident (scandal), become known and respected internationally again under the leadership of Datuk Seri President.
“Was this easy? No, it required hard work with good leadership,” he said.
Kamil said the economy was also showing positive momentum, with second-quarter 2026 gross domestic product (GDP) growth reaching 6%, exceeding Bank Negara Malaysia’s initial projection of 5.8%.
“Last Friday, Bank Negara Malaysia announced that the country’s economic growth in the second quarter exceeded its original projection of 5.8%, and we achieved 6%,” he said.
He said the positive performance reflected a broader trend since 2023, covering economic growth, investment, inflation, employment and the strength of the ringgit.
“This is a very positive trend, from 2023 to 2026. It is not just economic growth, but also investment, inflation, employment and the strength of the ringgit.
“All this gives confidence not only to the people but also to the world, which continues to place its trust in Malaysia,” he said.
However, Kamil acknowledged that the Government’s achievements would ultimately be judged by voters at the ballot box.
“Public confidence and support are measured at the ballot box. So the big question we need to reflect on is whether we have truly succeeded in convincing the people to place their trust in the Pakatan Harapan Government.
“Clearly, the last two state elections (Johor and Negeri Sembilan) did not go in our favour. Where did we go wrong?” he asked.
Kamil also welcomed Anwar’s announcement that the Government would abolish the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 (AUKU), describing it as an important victory for students and young people.
He said he, Deputy Higher Education Minister Adam Adli Abdul Halim, MP Tan Kar Hing and other young leaders had experienced the restrictions imposed by a system they regarded as limiting freedom among university students.
“Yesterday, the President also made an announcement that is very close to me, Adam Adli, Tan Kar Hing and others from our time in higher education. Some of us were victims of an unfair and oppressive system that did not give young people freedom (a decade ago),” he said.
Kamil described the proposed abolition of AUKU as the result of decades of student activism demanding greater university and academic freedom.
“Alhamdulillah, yesterday’s announcement by the President was a victory for students and young people who have tirelessly and relentlessly fought for university freedom and academic freedom,” he said.
He said the long campaign for reform demonstrated that fundamental change required patience and consistency, with reforms implemented when the right conditions emerged.
“Decades have passed, but what is the message? The message is the same as what the President said in his policy speech: reform requires patience and consistency, and when the appropriate time comes, reform will be and will continue to be implemented by us,” he said. - August 16, 2026
