Strict action against corruption, no matter who you are, says Anwar

KUANTAN: There must be strict action against corruption, no matter if it is at the lowest or highest levels, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The Prime Minister said corruption was a severe plague and there must be no compromise when dealing with it.

"I have advised the authorities, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the Attorney General not to care who it is.

"Take action against the big ones. Who it is, is not my business. Whether to charge or not is not my business.

"My business is to order them to have the freedom and space to act as strictly as possible because I want to send a clear message that we do not tolerate this," Anwar said in delivering a mandate to Pahang civil servants here on Tuesday (April 18).

Anwar also said the nation was now at a moment in history when the people must decide which direction the country should go.

"Do we retain the status quo or do we advance as a people who are independent and sovereign to achieve a dignified humanity and position that is exemplary?

"Can we achieve what we call Madani? I am confident, under the condition that the political leadership, civil servants and businesses work together as a team and leave behind old, rotten practices.

"Whether it is the Prime Minister, Finance Minister or officials, do not abuse power to rob and enrich oneself and one's own family. Employ this as a trust to serve.

"Will it be easy? No. But if it is carried out centred on confidence, change can happen," he said.

On another matter, Anwar said the RM750mil allocation for periodic maintenance of Federal roads would be increased to RM1bil.

He said this was possible as the revenue collection had exceeded the estimate when Budget 2023 was tabled.

Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said in his speech that the state needed additional allocation considering that federal roads were usually damaged after floods.

Wan Rosdy said repairs on federal roads were outside the scope of the state government's development expenditure.

He added the state government could not use Malaysian Road Record Information System (Marris) allocations to maintain federal roads because it was bound by the Marris grant guidelines set by the Finance Ministry.