PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (pic) said he will be returning the allowance he received as the chairman of Khazanah Nasional Berhad, reiterating that he does not draw a salary for the position of Prime Minister that he has held since November 2022.
Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said he declined to accept the allowance and salary as long as the country’s economy has not fully recovered.
"Earlier, I chaired the Khazanah meeting... apparently (as) the chairman (of Khazanah) and as Prime Minister, there are allowances and I was not aware.
"After a few months, the allowance (for meetings) was deposited into my bank account, and I informed them that I would not be taking it. I had to return the Khazanah allowance and instructed them not to pay my meeting allowance," he said after an event to handover contributions from the Maju Institute of Educational Development (MIED) here on Friday (April 26).
In his first media conference as prime minister on Nov 24, 2022, Anwar said he would not accept a salary for the position and described it as a first step to gaining the people's confidence in his leadership.
Anwar said he works passionately because he has faced significant challenges in life, and these experiences have motivated him to dedicate himself to improving the lives of the people.
"I have experienced extreme hardship and suffering, which has taught me that when in power, I should do my best to help uplift the fate of the people.
"That's why I say, I am not from a wealthy family and I do not take a salary as a prime minister. Some people say I don't take a prime minister's salary and (instead) take a salary as finance minister. That is not true," he clarified.
On hardcore poverty, he noted that the government has addressed the issue in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Melaka, Penang, Perak and Johor.
"We are working towards addressing it in other states as well,” he said.
Meanwhile, Anwar urged young people, especially from the Indian community, to continue their education and explore new fields such as digital transformation and artificial intelligence.
"Do not forget to study hard in order to achieve success and always remember that the goal of education is to acquire knowledge as best as possible,” he said.
Anwar also announced an allocation of RM2mil to Tafe College in Seremban, which was developed by the late Tun S. Samy Vellu.
At the event, a total of 671 individuals received scholarships and loans through MIED with an allocation of over RM15mil.- Bernama
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