PM confident of more reforms despite earlier scepticism

DOHA: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has expressed confidence to carry out more reforms due to the strong understanding among all parties in the government.

Despite the scepticism faced by his administration at the start of his term, the Prime Minister said parties in the government continued to work on the reform agenda, especially in ensuring the welfare of the rakyat.

“I think credit goes to the party that I lead, and the coalition, including coalitions from Sarawak and Sabah.

“It has been one and a half years, no one, and without exaggeration, not one person (from the coalition) came to me and said, no Anwar, go slow on this anti-corruption drive or we object to this reform ... No!

“That is why I can do it with such zeal and confidence. I believe Malaysia can continue with this (reforms),” he said during a public talk at the Qatar National Library, Hamad bin Khalifa University.

He said when the government coalition was being formed, all parties were involved and discussions were made based on their principles, Bernama reported.

“None of them talked about their position, that we need these ministers (post) because they know me. If they put conditions, I would have said, no discussion.

“But I must give credit to them that they only needed certain guarantees,” he said, adding that this included recognising the rights of the Malay majority and constitutional monarchy as stated in the Federal Constitution.

Anwar said this when asked whether he faced challenges in his efforts to bring about reforms.

Also present at the event were Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir and Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.

Anwar said he also touched on the challenges and tribulations in the post-pandemic era, which require leaders of the Islamic world to unite their efforts to face issues of Islamophobia, discrimination and the hypocrisy of global superpowers.