（IZZUDDIN ABD RADZAK/Pejabat Perdana Menteri.）
Anwar Ibrahim says he wants to remain a leader for all Malaysians, rejecting calls for him to embrace Malay dominance to secure his political survival.
He said certain quarters had been promoting the narrative that national policies must be aligned with Malay dominance if he wanted to remain politically relevant.
“People say, Anwar, you must embrace policies rooted in Malay interests and dominance. Otherwise, you will not survive.
“My response is that I want to remain a Malaysian leader who loves this country,” he said at the 2026 National Deepavali Celebration in Little India, Brickfields.
Anwar said he wanted to uphold the country’s principles and the Federal Constitution, including the position of the Malay language, Islam, and the rights and interests of the Malays.
However, he stressed that the country’s security and stability also depended on ensuring justice, prosperity and happiness for all Malaysians.
He said the nation’s wealth must be channelled towards improving the well-being of all citizens, regardless of race, as poverty was not confined to any particular community.
Anwar noted that while there were successful Malays, Chinese, Indians, Ibans and Kadazans, poverty persisted across all communities and required the government’s attention.
Anwar accuses certain quarters of exploiting racial issues
Anwar also claimed that certain quarters were exploiting racial issues to divert attention from corruption and fraud.
He said some of those who spoke loudly about the survival of their respective communities were among the country’s wealthiest individuals.
“Their fight is really about enriching themselves and their families,” he said.
Deepavali message and assistance for all communities
Anwar said Deepavali, the Festival of Lights, symbolised the triumph of light over darkness and served as a reminder for society to embrace greater justice, fairness and moral values.
He also acknowledged that several issues affecting the Indian community still needed to be addressed, including education, Tamil schools, Hindu temples, traders and poverty among the community in urban areas and estates.
He said the government was committed to assisting all communities through various initiatives.
These include a RM200 aid payment for every school-going child in January, regardless of race or district, to help ease families’ financial burden ahead of the new academic year.
