PM Anwar: Professional expertise must go beyond specialisation to bring Malaysia forward

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said expertise alone was insufficient to drive the country’s progress. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

By Soo Wern Jun

First Published: Tuesday, 29 Sep 2026 7:08 PM MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 29 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today called on Malaysia’s professional community to move beyond narrow specialisation and work across disciplines. 

He said expertise alone was insufficient to drive the country’s progress.

“Professionals needed to integrate their specialised knowledge with a broader understanding of society, culture and the country’s needs, rather than working in isolation.

“What is great about professional life is that it brings together people from different disciplines, different races and different regions,” he said when launching the Professional Conference and Exhibition 2026 (PROFEX 2026) in conjunction with the Malaysia Professional Day. 

Anwar added that professionals should not view one another through the lens of race, religion or region, but instead build stronger common ground around what was right, just and fair.

He said this was particularly important as Malaysia navigated rapid technological and economic changes, with new areas of expertise emerging in fields such as computing and digital transformation.

The Prime Minister stressed that specialisation should be accompanied by integration, including an understanding of one’s responsibilities towards family, society and the wider world.

He also urged professionals not to remain silent when confronted with dishonesty, corruption and abuses, saying professional responsibility extended beyond technical expertise.

“No country can ever survive in a system that allows cheating, corruption and excesses, and a lack of professionalism,” he said.

Anwar said professionals therefore have a responsibility to contribute towards strengthening governance and ensuring that systems served the country and its people.

“Malaysia’s future depended on professionals who could work together despite differences in culture and religion, while maintaining a strong commitment to justice and fairness.

“This is a national issue. It is relevant to all of us, and professionals in particular have a responsibility to ensure that this nation succeeds.

“And this nation succeeds through unity, through understanding gaps, respect — respect for our differences, cultural and religious — but more importantly, we need a strong sense of commitment to what is right, what is just and what is fair,” he said.

Anwar’s remarks come a day after he similarly called for technological advancement, including artificial intelligence and digital transformation, to remain grounded in ethics, culture and societal values.

Speaking at the International Future Conference 2026 in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, he said discussions about the future should not be confined to algorithms, computing power or economic outcomes, but should also incorporate philosophy, history and moral considerations. 

PROFEX 2026, held under the theme “Uniting Professions, Transforming Malaysia’s Future”, brings together professionals, industry leaders, academia, government agencies and emerging talent, with an emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration, knowledge exchange and professional development.