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Anwar: Corruption threatens the Malays, not other races [NSTTV]

KUALA LUMPUR: The threat to the survival of the Malay community is systemic corruption and not other races, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today.

He said certain political leaders continued to harp on how the wellbeing of the Malays were affected by other races because they benefitted from such corrupt practices in order to gain power.

Describing such leaders as "a greedy company", he said they have been stealing funds for self interests and spread lies in order to gain power.

Such leaders, he said also used race and religion cards to distract the people from fundamental issue of governance.

"They will appeal to the (Malay) race that their possessions and power are being challenged. My answer to that question is that it is not being challenged by the Malay, Chinese, Indian or Sarawak and Sabah businessmen.

"The Malay survival is being threatened by a corrupt system, a greedy company of leaders who've been stealing from the public funds in this country," he said in his speech at the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM) Chinese New Year celebration today.

Anwar said political leaders who said that the wellbeing of the Malays were being threatened by others races were part of the bigger problem of corruption in the country.

"People can harp on the issues of race and religion, but to me, it is completely irrelevant.

"It is a way and attempt by political leaders to disguise and hijack the central issues of governance in this country.

"We have to continue to work together to make sure we save this country from corruption.

"I am saying this no longer as an opposition leader, but in my office, after I looked at the papers and files on the development for the last few years," he said.

In this regard, Anwar said he believes that the respective authorities will not delay the investigation or prosecution of individuals involved in corruption.

He said while it was not his job to conduct investigation or prosecute the wrongdoers, he hoped the related agencies would expedite their probes.

"I trust the relevant authorities will not delay this."

In his speech, Anwar also reiterated the government's firm commitment and determination to wipe out corruption which has become systemic in this country.

Present at the same event were his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, several ministers, deputies, ambassadors, ACCCIM office bearers, as well as corporate and organisation leaders.

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