KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is poised to stay on a positive economic trajectory, but the gains must be felt by households and workplaces, says the Prime Minister.
Citing the strengthening of the ringgit as a visible sign of renewed confidence, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said it was more important for growth to be felt on the ground.
“Let us be clear, numbers alone do not define success. Markets may respond to data, but the rakyat judge (us) by their experience.
“Growth must be felt at homes and workplaces, and the cost of living faced by average families. Otherwise, it will remain hollow,” he said at the Malaysia Economy Forum (FEM) 2026 here yesterday.
Anwar said trust has been rebuilt because the Federal Government took a clear, principled and uncompromising stand on governance, with zero tolerance towards corruption and no exceptions to the well-connected.
Tangible growth: Anwar at the launch of FEM 2026 in Kuala Lumpur. — RAJA FAISAL HISHAN / The Star
“Without accountability, there can be no credibility. Without credibility, there can be no sustainable growth,” he added.
He said the government’s tough stance was not a campaign for headlines nor just a passing phase.
“It is a recognition that lasting confidence depends on the certainty that the law applies equally to all,” he said.
Anwar said when enforcement was consistent, trust could be restored and institutions would regain their authority.
“And yet, enforcement alone is not enough. That is why institutional reforms continue, without pause and apology.
“We are strengthening institutions so that integrity does not depend on personalities but on systems.
“Rules must outlast individuals and reforms must endure political cycles,” the Prime Minister said.
He said the country’s progress was not by chance but reflected a deliberate effort to restore trust in public finances, credibility to institutions and integrity in the exercise of power.
“Confidence does not respond to slogans or short-term measures. It responds to consistency, clarity of intent and to assurance that reform is sustained rather than episodic,” he reiterated.
The Prime Minister said that with such a foundation in place, confidence must be translated into improved living for the people.
“Cost-of-living pressures are real and felt daily by the people. This is why our economic strategy combines macroeconomic discipline with targeted support.
“This is to protect purchasing power and ensure growth that improves real living standards,” he said.
Anwar also said that the proposed National Climate Change Bill will be drafted in an orderly, evidence-based manner and firmly anchored in the national interest.
He said the government will prioritise broad-based growth, adding that its climate and industrial policies will be driven by the same discipline and long-term thinking.
He said energy transition was no longer optional for the country.
“It is a practical response to changing global markets and rising expectations. To succeed, investors require clear rules, exporters must adjust and institutions must provide stability,” he said.
The Bill is expected to be tabled for first reading in March.
Anwar also said that education must equip Malaysians not only with knowledge, but adaptability, resilience and the confidence to navigate change.
He said AI was currently reshaping work and industries.
“The question is not whether change will come, but whether we are prepared for it.
“Whether technology widens opportunity or deepens inequality depends on the choices that we make today,” he added.
