VERBATIM TEXT

KEYNOTE ADDRESS

YAB DATO’ SERI ANWAR BIN IBRAHIM

PERDANA MENTERI

HUMANE ECONOMY GLOBAL DISCOURSE 2026

“RECLAIMING HUMANITY FOR SHARED PROSPERITY”

23 JULY 2026 (WEDNESDAY) | 10:30 AM

WORLD TRADE CENTRE

KUALA LUMPUR

 

Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

Alhamdu lillahirabbil-‘alamin,

Nahmaduhu wa nusalli ‘ala rasulihil-karim,

Wa ‘ala alihi wa sahbihi ajma’in.

 

Saudara Dr. Zulkifli bin Hasan,

Minister in Prime Minister (Religious Affairs);

 

Yang Berbahagia Dato’ Profesor Dr. Saadiah Mohamad, Chairman of FEM and Director of HEGD;

 

Jawatankuasa, rakan-rakan yang saya muliakan.

 

1. Tentunya satu perkembangan yang sangat membanggakan dan menggalakkan,, bila ada wacana segar seperti ini, membicara persoalan dan permasalahan yang kita kira sangat membimbangkan. Dunia sekarang terhakis nilai dan kemanusiaannya sama ada isu politik seperti kekejaman, kezaliman penjajahan di Gaza. Perpecahan, sentimen perkauman yang berkembang di dunia barat yang dulunya mengagung-agungkan isu kemanusiaan, demokrasi dan kesejahteraan sejagat, tetapi terhakis nilai kemanusiaannya.

 

2. Kita tidak mampu lagi berkiblat keluar, sekiranya kita mahu memulihkan keyakinan kepada prinsip utama kemanusiaan, mengangkat martabat karamah insaniah. Dan kita boleh merasa hampa dengan perkembangan dan ketiadaannya, sama ada dipaparkan isu kezaliman Palestin dan Gaza, ataupun cabaran iklim, ketidakadilan sistem ekonomi yang tetap pertahankan golongan berkuasa dan kaya negara-negara barat, terutamanya. Malah tempiasannya juga ke rantau lain, termasuk di negara kita.

 

3. Kita juga tidak terlepas daripada perbahasan dan wacana, yang mengangkat bukan isu kemanusiaan. Isu kaum, isu kebencian dan tidak isu fokus MADANI dan manusiawi. Malah, dalam konteks perbicaraan kita hari ini sekalipun, dia belum menjadi wacana yang mampu mencungkil, mengetuk pintu hati nurani kita, bahawa sebenarnya kita dijadikan Allah SWT itu manusia dan diangkat darjatnya itu – “Walaqad Karamna Bani Adam”.

 

4. Faham kemanusiaan itu sangat tebal dalam korpus karya-karya besar dan agung Islam sendiri pun, bahawa sementara kita bicara soal hukum dan syariah, pertimbangan ekonomi, sistem kenegaraan, pangkalnya masih membina manusia.

 

5. Dalam dakwah, bila kita bicara soal “Bil hikmah wal mau’izah al-hasanah” masih mendekati permasalahan kemanusiaan. Dalam perbedaan ikhtilaf ala ijnaz, perbedaan agama dan kaum, kalau diteraskan kepada kemanusiaan, apalagi dari pangkal Islamnya, dia tidak boleh mengenepikan masalah ini.

 

6. Jadi, forum ekonomi manusiawi ini tentunya harus membahaskan ini juga. Kenyataan yang benar, yang berlaku dalam negara kita. Apakah kita mampu mengasak fahaman, supaya masyarakat yang kini secara positifnya timbul kesedaran keagamaan yang lebih baik? Tapi apa kesedaran, keagamaan itu menjurus kepada pertimbangan keadilan sejagat dan kemanusiaan? Ataupun agama itu sebagai payung untuk melindungi maksud perkauman yang sempit atau kepartian?

 

 

7. Ini hal-hal yang harus kita bahaskan kerana tidak mampu kita bicarakan permasalahan manusiawi, kalau kita izinkan penghakisan yang nyata dalam nilai, hidup dan prinsip kenegaraan kita.

 

 

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

 

8. As we have seen, no one can deny the fact that we live in a period of remarkable human achievement. We speak now of artificial intelligence, of renewable energy, of advanced manufacturing, biotechnology and new economic frontiers.

 

9. In fact, we are proud. I think this weekend or early next week we’re launching the National AI Office for Malaysia. We continue to advance, but we must not avoid a fundamental question because many of us, particularly the young, are equally anxious.

 

10. They wonder whether the educational system and tertiary education will land them in a more meaningful job and the workers will continue to ask whether technology will empower them or replace them; families continue to struggle with the rising cost of living; and farmers, fishermen and small entrepreneurs ask, whether development will include them or bypass them. These are universal human concerns beyond an economic agenda, but touches on the fundamental issue of humanity.

 

11. And I think, in all honesty, and I humbly submit that I too in the government has to grapple with this fundamental question because the system that we inherit and we have to face the stark realities in the world. It’s formulated to foster a particular viewpoint and to combat this takes a lot of effort and energy, and not necessarily given the desired support.

 

12. You have seen our anti-corruption drive, our attempt to promote MADANI agenda, focusing on development of men and women and not confined to just stark material, greed and economic fundamentals. We talked about education in this motto in Malay, “Menggapai di langit, tetapi masih mengakar ke bumi”. Striving for new technology and AI, at the same time, rooted in our tradition, culture and values.

 

 

13. And we in the economic term, Professor Jomo Kwame is here of course, and Professor Jada, because they share a concern. I don’t know, but many other economists do truly appreciate this issue of human, economy and human growth. Because we all have become highly capable of measuring growth, investments, exports, productivity, market. Our market performance and fiscal discipline.

 

14. Of course, as Minister of Finance, I must say that these measures matter. Professor Zia tends to place that of less importance. I take great pleasure in disagreeing with him, because these measures matter and no country can be governed on sentiment alone. But what do I share with him and many of our colleagues, Osman Bakar is to ask a more fundamental question.

 

15. What is growth for? What is prosperity worth if it leaves people without dignity? What is innovation worth, if it produces greater exclusion? This is why we speak of reclaiming humanity. Can you imagine in 2026, we are talking about reclaiming humanity? But at least, I take great satisfaction that we are honest in our assessment. We accept the facts as they are.
16. Look at this discourse internationally. The level of contradictions and hypocrisy in almost all the issues is might, is the mind power that determines not truth, not justice.

 

17. Now, I’m not a pessimist. I wouldn’t stand here as a pessimist. As I’ve said decades ago, the time when I coined that economy manusiawi, I’m an incorrigible optimist. So this is not a call to reject modernity, enterprise, markets or technology. Malaysia to survive must remain competitive, productive and open to investment. But economic life must once again be connected to a moral purpose and this is a major challenge.

 

18. To reclaim humanity is to recover a simple but too often neglected truth. The economy is a means not an end in itself. Its purpose is not merely to produce higher numbers, greater consumption or larger concentration of wealth, but to enable people to live with dignity, security, purpose and hope.

 

19. It means asking before every major decision whether growth widens opportunity or narrows it, whether it strengthens families and the communities or leaves them more vulnerable. And whether it treats human beings as partners in development or merely as instruments of production. Believe me, these questions are real and tough.

 

20. In the next month or so, I’m going to grapple with formulating the budget for next year, for early October. And Alhamdulillah, despite these pressures, I have not lose sight of this fundamental question that we encapsulate in the MADANI framework. The budget, growth, economic policies, semiconductor strategy, energy transition, digital transformation, cannot ignore our attempt to restore the moral purpose of governance and development. It is not a slogan to be placed on banners. It must be reflected in policy, institutions and conduct.

 

21. Sustainability means that we do not pass environmental, financial and social reforms or burdens to future generations. Innovation must enlarge human capabilities rather than deepen exclusion, easier said than done, can be formulated in Jomo Sundaram’s thesis. But be rest assured, it’s a tough call.

 

22. Prosperity, how do we translate prosperity into better wages, meaningful work, affordable housing, accessible health care, quality education, thriving communities and genuine mobility.

 

23. Our economic guru says, Rol’s I think, justice is fairness. It cannot be selective, not demanded only when it benefits one side or invoked in a position and abandoned in government. It must govern how we treat opponents, critics, partners, workers, investors, the poor and the young.

 

24. We must also rethink the relationship between wealth and justice, between faith and public responsibility, between government and citizens. And whether development is merely the accumulation of material power or the expansion of human dignity, freedom, knowledge and hope.

 

25. The climate crisis, technological revolution, widening inequality and sufferings of people’s millions and millions caught in war, displacement and poverty all demand this rethinking and the refocus on human economy.

 

 

26. To the young, a number of them more ladies than men, it doesn’t matter. Now, to my young children gathered here, I say, do not surrender to cynicism. Some may say that MADANI is too philosophical, too abstract or too difficult to implement. Some, many gathered here, I can mention these two difficult scholars with me, Jomo and Zia. I’ve seen them and understand that impatience.

 

27. But, every great civilization was built upon a moral and intellectual foundation that we cannot fail. No society rises merely because it has highways, buildings, technology or financial resources. It rises when it has serious understanding of human philosophy, of justice, of knowledge, of responsibility and of the future. This will not win votes in Negeri Sembilan, but it will save a generation.

 

28. For Muslims, the language of “Khalifah” means or reminds us that human beings “Khalifatullah fil ‘ard” are entrusted with responsibility on earth. For wider global community the message is equally clear. Every person is a steward of something larger than themselves of knowledge, community, the environment and the future of humanity.

 

29. So of course, I’m not giving excuse, but thank you for this initiative Saadiah, because you do not need to wait for the government, you must initiate pressure and not only support, but choose to critically assess the performance of governments.

 

30. What is important is you must act and the government must act. A nation is transformed when teachers, lecturers, teach with purpose, entrepreneurs build with integrity, bureaucrats or civil servants serve with honour, businesses invest in people, scholars speak truthfully, citizens care for their communities and the young people dare to believe… the young believe that a better society is possible insya-Allah.

 

31. Now the human economy we seek is one with a higher ambition to create wealth without losing wisdom, to innovate without abandoning compassion and Ihsan to compete without destroying solidarity and grow without leaving humanity behind.

 

32. Now ladies and gentlemen, let Malaysia demonstrate that economic pragmatism and moral purpose can walk together. And let ASEAN, the community of nations demonstrate that diversity can be a source of strength rather than division. And let the global south demonstrate that development need not reproduce the inequalities and injustices of the past.

 

33. We must not be naive, we must not be paralyzed by cynicism and fear. The task before us is to reclaim humanity. Otherwise, you don’t talk about humane economy. The task is to build that prosperity, strengthen the moral foundation of public life and leave it to the next generation, young children not merely to get richer, but to build a more just, confident and more civilized world.

 

34. With that, it is my distinct honour to officially announce the convening of the Humane Economy Global Discourse (HEGD) 2026.

 

Wassalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.