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PRIME MINISTER Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has declared that no individual, regardless of rank or honourific title, will be spared in the government’s ongoing campaign against corruption and criminal cartels, following the recovery of RM15.5 billion in misappropriated national revenue since 2022.
Anwar, who also holds the finance portfolio, described the recovery as a direct result of uncompromising enforcement action under his administration.
“We have successfully seized RM15.5 billion in stolen and smuggled money through criminal activities – in just two years,” Bernama cited him telling students at Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP).
“That is because I am firm and tell all enforcement agencies: no compromise. No to corruption, no to smuggling, no to syndicates and cartels. Break them, because they are stealing from the people.”
He was speaking during a special address at the university, where he also delivered a public lecture titled ‘Universities as Strategic Assets: Planning Malaysia’s Future through Talent, Technology and Transformation’.
Anwar stressed that the rule of law must apply to all – including the politically connected and those bearing elite titles.
“Sometimes they are Datuk, Datuk Seri, Tan Sri, or Tun – I don’t care. You can have your title, but if you steal, we catch you. And if the court finds you guilty, you go to jail. That must be the principle,” he said, to resounding applause.
The Prime Minister said the mission to dismantle entrenched networks of corruption and malpractice was essential to securing Malaysia’s future, particularly for the younger generation.
“In the few years that I have, I want, ‘Insya-Allah’, to clean up this mess,” he said. “Whatever they say, it does not bother me. I think it’s our duty.”
Calling on the youth to support the cause, he added: “The young must understand and support this movement. Can I trust you to support this?”
He also urged students to be standard-bearers for justice and dignity, rejecting racial prejudice and embracing ethical leadership and intellectual growth.
Referencing the MADANI concept of governance, Anwar said the country’s progress must be measured not only through technological and economic advancement, but also by nurturing moral and ethical values in society.
“The development of knowledge and technology must go hand in hand with the formation of morality and humanity,” he said.
Earlier, Anwar toured the UTP Integrated Engineering Department, which offers a multi-disciplinary engineering honours degree.
The event was attended by Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar.
Anwar’s remarks came a day after he tabled Budget 2026 in the Dewan Rakyat, in which he highlighted that targeted subsidy reforms and anti-leakage measures were now saving the government an estimated RM15.5 billion annually.
“These savings are not merely for the books,” he said. “They are being channelled towards welfare initiatives, easing cost-of-living burdens and investing in quality infrastructure that truly benefits the people.”
The Prime Minister’s engagement with students forms part of a broader strategy to involve young Malaysians in the national reform agenda, as the country works to strengthen its institutions and reposition itself as a clean, competitive and inclusive economy. - October11, 2025