Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stresses that economic progress must prioritise human dignity and moral purpose over mere indicators
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today stressed that Malaysia’s pursuit of economic growth, technological advancement and public policies must be anchored in humanity, with development aimed at uplifting people’s dignity and well-being rather than merely boosting economic indicators.
He said the world is entering an era of rapid technological transformation driven by artificial intelligence (AI), renewable energy, advanced manufacturing and biotechnology.
“Malaysia must remain competitive, productive and open to investment, but economic life must once again be connected to moral purpose.
“To reclaim humanity is to recover a simple but too often neglected truth. The economy is a means, not an end in itself,” he said in his keynote address at the Humane Economy Global Discourse (HEGD) 2026, here today.
Also present were Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hasan and Chairman of Forum Ekonomi Manusiawi (FEM) and HEGD 2026 director Prof Datuk Dr Saadiah Mohamad.
Anwar said while economic indicators such as growth, investment, exports, productivity and fiscal discipline remained important, governments should also ask whether development broadens opportunities, strengthens communities and enables people to live with dignity.
“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 and purpose,” he said.
The Prime Minister also said many people, particularly young Malaysians, were increasingly concerned about whether education systems could prepare them for future employment and whether technological advancements, including AI, would empower workers or replace them.
He said families also continued to face rising living costs, while farmers, fishermen and small entrepreneurs questioned whether economic development would benefit them or leave them behind.
“These are universal human concerns beyond an economic agenda. That is the fundamental issue of humanity,” he said.
Anwar said the MADANI Government’s anti-corruption efforts and governance reforms were aimed at placing human development at the centre of policymaking while balancing technological progress with the country’s cultural values and traditions.
Calling on governments, businesses, educators and young people to play their respective roles, the Prime Minister said nation-building required integrity, responsibility and collective action.
“A nation rises not merely because it has highways, buildings, technology or financial resources. It rises when it has a serious understanding of justice, knowledge, responsibility and the future,” he added.
