Action Over Misconduct Should Not Be Turned Into A Racial Or Religious Issue - Anwar

 BANGI, Aug 21 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has stressed that efforts to address misconduct and management weaknesses in any institution should not be turned into a racial or religious issue.

He said such action was taken based on the need to rectify shortcomings in the management of an organisation, regardless of the background or identity of the institution.

Anwar said the approach also applied to action taken to address misconduct and management weaknesses at Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH), which he said should not be linked to the Islamic image associated with the institution.

“There is also an Islamic party leader who said, ‘Why are they always taking action against these Malay and Islamic agencies?’ The government takes action because they are under the government.

“If we identify a problem, we will take action, and we should not turn this into a racial or religious issue... We do not ask whether it is a Malay company or a government company,” he said.

He said this in his speech at the Prime Minister’s 2026 Engagement Session with FELDA’s Top Management and Managers here today.

Anwar said Malays and Muslims should be more firm in ensuring that institutions that carry an Islamic image are properly managed, as such institutions should set an example in terms of management, ethics and values.

Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said he was committed to ensuring that investigations into governance and affairs involving the Federal Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (FELDA) are conducted transparently and promptly, in line with the decree of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia.

He said the matter was conveyed to him during an audience with the King, who also ordered that firm action be taken against those found to have damaged FELDA.

“When I had an audience with His Majesty, Sultan Ibrahim asked me to ensure that investigations into FELDA’s governance and affairs are conducted transparently and promptly, and that firm action be taken against those who have damaged FELDA due to their greed,” he said.

Anwar said the success of an organisation or institution could easily be destroyed by rash and greedy actions if the principles of integrity were disregarded.

Previously, PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang claimed that the controversy surrounding TH had been deliberately exaggerated by certain parties simply because the financial institution carried an “Islamic brand”.

The Marang Member of Parliament said that while his party did not deny the existence of shortcomings or misconduct in Islamic financial institutions, he alleged that greater shortcomings at other institutions had not received the same level of attention.

-- BERNAMA