KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has taken a swipe at certain Opposition MPs over their unbecoming conduct in the Dewan Rakyat during a heated debate on Malaysia’s border with Indonesia, saying some leaders were “lazy to read” and quick to accuse him of betraying the country.
Speaking at the Temu Anwar@TAR UMT dialogue with students at Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT), the Prime Minister was referring to the special briefing in Parliament earlier in the day on the Malaysia–Indonesia land boundary, including the area around Pulau Sebatik off Sabah.
He said instead of engaging with the facts, some MPs had resorted to emotive accusations that the government had “sold” Malaysian territory.
“Look at the debate in Parliament this morning. The issue was the border at the Sabah–Indonesia frontier.
“They say the Prime Minister is a traitor, that he sold the country,” he said here on Wednesday (Feb 4).
“Fakta belum tahu. Baca, malas. Belajar, tak mahu. Panggil bodoh, dia marah (They don't know the facts. Lazy to read. Unwilling to learn. When you call them stupid, they get angry),” Anwar added, in a pointed remark that drew laughs and applause from the student audience.
Anwar said what was lacking in parts of the debate was a serious effort to defend Malaysia’s interests based on facts and international law.
“What happened was there was not a debate that upheld quality and sought the truth,” he said.
He stressed that Malaysia’s approach to boundary issue with Indonesia was to firmly defend its rights and territory while maintaining good neighbourly ties.
“We can choose to quarrel and go to war with Indonesia - it is a neighbouring country.
“But we choose the path of peace. We choose to defend our rights and our area, but we also know that if we want Indonesia to respect our rights and sovereignty, we must also respect theirs. That is how life works,” he said.
Anwar linked the episode to a broader message for youth about rejecting divisive rhetoric and focusing instead on building a better Malaysia together.
He warned against politics that played on racial and religious sentiments, saying such an approach failed to appreciate the complexity of a diverse country.
“There is no easy answer. There are 101 issues raised by different communities.
“But we must have the courage to listen and to drive change."
He noted that one of the core values of his Malaysia Madani framework was “hormat dan ihsan” (respect and compassion).
“We are human beings, not animals. We have values and feelings. We want what is good for everyone,” he said.
Anwar reiterated that Malaysia must pursue “leaps and sprints” in the economy, education and technology, including artificial intelligence, instead of being dragged into issues that divide the nation.
“Set your priorities. If you want to succeed in education, in artificial intelligence (AI) and related fields, then focus on these issues and learn to fight to improve in every way you can,” he said.
