PUTRAJAYA: Justice must be guided by fairness and compassion rather than race or geography alone, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, stressing that assistance should be channelled according to need.
Anwar said the principle of “justice as fairness” requires policymakers to consider the circumstances of communities rather than distributing resources equally regardless of need.
“Justice does not mean giving everyone the same thing.
“If a school in a rural area needs more support, it would not be fair to allocate it the same amount as a school that already has ample resources,” he said in his speech at the opening ceremony of the 10th annual general meeting of Putrajaya Berhad Professional Cooperative, here on Sunday (June 14).
When met by reporters later, Anwar said justice must be combined with compassion (ihsan) to ensure aid reaches those who need it most.
“Sometimes, in our political discourse, justice is interpreted through the lens of state interests or race. But it must be based on what is needed.
“If a community has a high number of poor people, then we must pay attention to them.
“The majority of the poor in this country are still Malays and Bumiputeras, but there are also poor Indians and indigenous communities in the interior whose needs must be addressed,” he said.
Anwar said a proper understanding of justice and compassion was essential in ensuring government policies benefited all segments of society.
Speaking on governance, he said strong governance practices were equally important in ensuring resources generated by the economy reached the wider public.
He pointed to cooperatives as an example of institutions that could perform well if managed properly.
“Anyone can draft a plan or budget. The question is how we empower cooperatives.
“Many have failed, but there are also cooperatives that have recorded strong performance because they are managed well, systematically and in an orderly manner,” he said.
Anwar said issues such as corruption and abuse of power remained a priority for the government, even if some viewed them lightly.
“If we do not correct these weaknesses, no matter how much wealth is generated, it will not benefit the majority because the advantages will continue to accrue to the same small group,” he said.
He added that successful cooperatives should share their experiences and best practices with others, but maintained that good governance remained the most important factor behind strong performance.
“For me, the most important thing is governance,” he said.
