THE government must act when there are allegations of public money being lost, even if doing so exposes it to criticism, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today.
He said the priority was to establish what happened to the funds, when the loss occurred and who was responsible, rather than allowing the matter to go unaddressed.
Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, stressed that taking action did not mean those under investigation were automatically guilty.
Any case, he said, must be investigated properly and supported by evidence before being brought to court for a judge to decide.
“We cannot punish someone who is not guilty. I said RM12 billion was lost. How did it happen? When did it happen? Who allowed it to happen?
“If there is strong evidence and an investigation, then the case should be brought to court and left to the judge,” he said.
He stressed this was part of the country’s system of governance, where those found not guilty should be acquitted while those convicted would face the appropriate punishment.
Anwar then added the government often found itself in a difficult position when dealing with such issues, as failing to act could result in further losses while acting could also invite criticism.
“Like the Tabung Haji RCI, if we don’t take action, the country loses. If we take action, we get criticised. I don’t understand,” he said.
He was speaking at the launch of the Skim Usahawan Bangkit Madani Permatang Pauh at Yayasan Aman, Penanti, this morning.
Anwar highlighted that protecting public funds was ultimately about ensuring that the country’s resources reached the people and delivered the intended benefits.
He said Malaysia was not a country without resources, but leakages remained a problem in ensuring wealth reached those at the grassroots level.
“Who says Malaysia is poor? It just doesn’t reach the bottom. A lot of it leaks away,” he said.
He added that efforts to strengthen governance and prevent leakages would continue despite criticism, as the government’s responsibility was to safeguard the interests of both the country and its people. - August 29, 2026
