Anwar: Knowledge, not anger, must drive the nation forward

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim speaks during the 3 Generations Appreciation Dinner at the Bangi Avenue Convention Centre on September 26,. 2026. — Bernama pic

First Published: Sunday, 27 Sep 2026 9:00 AM MYT

BANGI, Sept 27 — A country will be crippled if driven by anger, but must instead be guided by knowledge, which forms the foundation for its strength, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He said the strength of any struggle could not depend solely on spirit and emotion, but must instead be supported by the strength of knowledge capable of raising public awareness and instilling a sense of responsibility.

“My friend, the late Ustaz Fadzil Noor, reminded us that the Islamic cause does not rise solely through an outpouring of spirit, emotion and sentiment, but through the strength of knowledge that raises awareness and instils a sense of responsibility.

“And now, for example, when discussing the Madani nation, it must be strengthened with knowledge. This is what lays the foundation for building a strong nation,” he said when speaking at the 3 Generations Appreciation Dinner: Continuing the Legacy of the Struggle, here yesterday.

Also present were the Prime Minister’s wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hasan.

The event brought together more than 2,000 members of the Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement, Persatuan Wadah Pencerdasan Umat Malaysia and National Union of Malaysian Muslim Students.

The Prime Minister said that in the context of building a Madani nation, change must be based on conviction, idealism and noble aspirations to elevate the dignity of the people and the country, rather than a sense of supremacy, racism or incitement.

Anwar said society also needed to have a strong understanding of religion and faith, as being born a Muslim did not necessarily guarantee an understanding of Islam.

“Being born a Muslim and of Muslim descent does not guarantee understanding. Islamic movements, Islamic associations and Islamic organisations may emerge, but they do not necessarily guarantee the revival of the spirit of Islam beyond enthusiasm and the play of words... that is why our great responsibility is to revive the tradition of knowledge,” he said.

Anwar said his experience in the Islamic movement had also taught him that a struggle must be built on conviction and the belief to take action, rather than merely on the amount of support, votes or acceptance on social media.

“Because the ultimate consideration is to seek and obtain the blessings and pleasure of Allah SWT. And hopefully, with your spirit, strength and support, we can continue to build the strength of the Muslim ummah,” he said.

Anwar also stressed the importance of the tradition of knowledge, usrah and efforts to bring together new ideas in shaping public understanding, particularly in a country with diverse ethnicities and religions.

He said efforts to build the country must also give attention to education and mastery of new knowledge, including artificial intelligence (AI), while at the same time not neglecting fundamentals such as faith and morality.

“We must embrace new knowledge, AI, but if we reach for the sky while leaving our roots in the ground, we will certainly see weaknesses in the formation of the Negara-Bangsa (Nation-State),” he said. — Bernama