PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia has the potential to be a great nation and a greater voice on the world stage without being told who to befriend, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The Prime Minister said that this is possible only if the people of the country - especially civil servants - have the discipline and integrity to uphold values and reject corruption because they believe it is the right thing to do and not due to the fear of authorities.
The Prime Minister said this to about 1,000 civil servants here Thursday (March 21) at the “Malaysia Madani Executive Dialogue of Civil Servants 2024 with the Prime Minister”.
He also urged civil servants to use the Quran as a guide and study the history of how leaders who were maligned as “terrorists” by their rivals had led nations to greatness.
“The discipline and integrity that need to be upheld during this fasting month of Ramadan must not be due to the fear of authorities but because of our faith.
“From where should we begin? Our beginning must be with wisdom. We have been weak all this while as we tend to accept that if one is a leader, he must be rich and we accept that corruption is alright. We are a country with much potential.
“This is a small country but we can be the voice of a great soul on the world stage. We must speak up against corruption.
"If we do not have discipline and proper governance and accept corruption, we will become a weak country. We have the potential to be great,” said Anwar, who lamented that corruption was now endemic as a culture.
He also stated that in his recent trip to other countries such as Australia and Germany, he had not refrained from speaking up on the Palestine issue.
“Our decision of whom to befriend must not be decided by others as we are a country with sovereignty.
“(Former South African president) Nelson Mandela was once considered a terrorist by the colonists but to the blacks he was a warrior. Gandhi was considered naked by the British for the loincloth he wore but to others he was an independence fighter.
“To us, they (Hamas) are fighting for their rights and I said this while seated next to the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
"In stating so, I upheld the integrity and sovereignty of our country and I dared to because I believed that I was speaking the voice of the majority of Malaysians.
“Let us build unity and confidence to become a nation with great power,” said Anwar, to the applause of the civil servants.
