“Why would I lie?” – PM Anwar Defends His Stance on Talking About Corruption in M’sia When Abroad

Although it has been a couple of months since his appointment as the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim seems to be persisting on his stance against corruption and bribery as he attempts to get rid of such practices completely from our society and his administration.

As part of it, Anwar has also spoken about Malaysia’s issues with corruption and bribery in his speeches abroad. However, it appears that not everyone is a fan of this practice.

In a parliamentary session yesterday (February 21), opposition Member of Parliament Datuk Dr Nik Muhammad Zawawi Bin Salleh claimed that Anwar’s speech during a work trip abroad seemed to insult Malaysians, thus creating an uneasy situation among government supporters.

The allegation was made when debating the Motion to Uphold the Royal Order where he criticised the Prime Minister from disclosing the situation which is happening in the country while he was abroad.

He said that the Prime Minister should go abroad to bring a clear agenda regarding trade relations, and that his speech has reduced the confidence of foreign investors to visit this country.

However, it appears that the PM is not backing down on his stance. During the Minister’s Question Time session in parliament today (February 22), Anwar defended his action to expose the country’s internal issues including corruption during his visits abroad.

The Prime Minister said that he was only telling the truth that Malaysia was struggling with problems and was making corrections or efforts to correct the situation.

“Some people say that I criticise Malaysia abroad… this is a statement, whether in Jakarta, Thailand… I will say it. Why would I want to say that Malaysia is 100% a clean country, it would seem that I am a liar.”

“Let me tell you the truth, we are struggling to make amends because there is a problem,” he added.

What do you think of Anwar’s stance on the matter? Let us know in the comments.

Also read: “If you want to be rich, be a businessman” – PM Assures That Govt Will Reject Corrupt Practices