PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today said that defending acts of corruption on the grounds of an individual’s past contributions is far removed from the teachings of Islam.
He said that even a legacy spanning hundreds of years cannot serve as a justification for compromising on corruption or allowing the assets of the people and the nation to be plundered.
"Those of us who despise and oppose corruption must speak out more forcefully.
"Send a clear message: the place for those who engage in corruption is in prison," he said in a Facebook post.
Anwar also shared an excerpt from his speech at the 14th instalment of the 'Forum Ilmuwan Madani' (Madani Scholars' Forum), which touched upon the concept of 'permissiveness'—a culture characterised by a persistent tendency to compromise in the face of wrongdoing.
Anwar noted that the term 'permissiveness' was once used by the Indonesian leader Muhammad Natsir to describe an attitude of excessive tolerance, where illicit acts—such as acts of destruction, theft, and corruption—come to be regarded as commonplace.
"Everything is considered okay. A little bit of corruption—that’s okay. A little bit of theft—that’s okay. And how much is 'a little bit'? Billions—that’s okay, too.
"So, it is this 'tolerance for evil' that is destroying us," he said.
Previously, Anwar also shared a hadith of the Prophet Muhammad regarding justice in the administration of punishment, regardless of an individual's status.
He cited a hadith narrated by al-Bukhari (3475) from Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), which warns that past nations were destroyed because those in high positions were spared from punishment, while the weak were punished for the same offences.
“Indeed, what destroyed the nations before you was that when someone of high status among them committed theft, they would let him go. But when someone weak among them committed theft, they would carry out the prescribed punishment upon him,” he said.
The hadith emphasises the principle of justice in the administration of punishment, regardless of an individual’s rank or status.
However, Anwar did not mention any specific names in his post. – November 11, 2026
