KUALA LUMPUR: More Malaysians should benefit from economic growth and financial literacy, not just a small segment of the society, particularly the elite, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The Prime Minister said the level of financial literacy is crucial to strengthening the people’s resilience in facing economic challenges, and to prevent them from easily falling into investment schemes or financial scams.
“The country’s economic growth rate is healthy and the financial sector is vibrant overall, which is reassuring.
“We do not want these benefits to be enjoyed only by a small group, such as the elite in terms of power or wealth.
“We want to expand this across all communities, reaching even the poor or middle-income groups.
“The way to achieve this is by fostering financial understanding,” he said when launching the Malaysia National Financial Literacy Strategy 2026-2030.
Anwar also called for the people to embrace critical thinking and literacy, describing ignorance as the true driver of social divides.
He said a country could achieve progress but still face serious social problems if its people lacked intellectual depth and understanding of history, culture and values.
“A nation can develop rapidly, but without literacy and comprehension, many problems will arise.
“Shallow understanding of history, of the key elements and principles that unite us, leads to conflict, whether over race, religion or region,” he said.
Anwar said building both intellectual and financial literacy will ensure Malaysians are equipped not only with knowledge, but also with wisdom and discernment.
