Anwar tells youths to lead now, urging students to be society’s conscience against corruption and injustice

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim emphasized the importance of youth assuming leadership roles in the present, rather than awaiting the future, during the 3rd International Young Future Leaders Summit 2026 in Kuala Lumpur.

He urged university students to lead public discourse, combat corruption, and challenge systemic injustices, highlighting that leadership requires moral grounding beyond academic credentials.

Anwar reiterated the government's commitment to amending restrictive laws, such as the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971, to empower student leaders to voice their ideas freely.

The summit, organized by the Higher Education Ministry, aims to foster international student leadership networks through intellectual engagement.

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 12 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said youths must embrace their role as leaders of the present, rather than wait for the future, urging university students to serve as the moral compass of society.

He said young people must lead public discourse and boldly champion causes against corruption, exploitation and systemic injustice.

“Why do you talk about future leaders? What makes you think that the young are not leaders in their own right now?” he said in his speech at the 3rd International Young Future Leaders Summit 2026 (iFUTURE 2026) at the World Trade Centre (WTC), here yesterday.

Reflecting on his days as a student activist, Anwar said he had always been cynical about older generations referring to youths as leaders of tomorrow, stressing that young people were leaders of both the present and the future.

“You must represent the conscience of the present. The present society cannot condone corruption, exploitation… and accept injustice. That is the conscience of the present, and the youth must champion this cause with all the strength,” he said.

Anwar said true leadership required moral grounding and empathy, rather than academic qualifications alone, cautioning against intellectual arrogance.

“You may have your PhDs and professorial positions, but you are quite sick because you don’t use your knowledge as dictated by the conscience in your heart,” he said.

To ensure student leaders have the space to exercise critical thinking and voice their ideas, Anwar reiterated the government’s commitment to removing restrictive provisions in the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 (AUKU).

“No one will be prosecuted just because of their ideas and their criticism, including if the student leader chooses to criticise the Prime Minister. That is not a crime. You have to defend your position, but it’s not a crime to criticise the policies of the government,” he added.

The iFUTURE 2026 summit, themed “Redefining Future Leaders Through Value-Based Leadership”, is the Higher Education Ministry’s flagship initiative, organised by the Higher Education Department in strategic collaboration with Yayasan Perkasa Siswa and Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah.

The three-day summit, running from Oct 11 to 13, brings together 1,231 student leaders, comprising 813 Malaysians and 418 international delegates from 60 countries, to foster international student leadership networks through intellectual discourse and strategic engagement.

Also present were Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir and his deputy, Adam Adli Abd Halim. — Bernama

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在吉隆坡举行的2026年第三届国际青年未来领袖峰会上，马来西亚首相拿督斯里安华·易卜拉欣强调，青年应该在当下承担领导角色，而不是等待未来。

他敦促大学生们引领公共讨论，打击腐败，挑战系统性的不公正现象，并强调领导力需要超越学术资历的道德基础。

安华重申了政府致力于修改限制性法律（例如 1971 年的《大学和大学学院法》）的承诺，以赋予学生领袖自由表达想法的权力。

本次峰会由高等教育部主办，旨在通过思想交流促进国际学生领袖网络的发展。

吉隆坡，10月12日讯——首相拿督斯里安华·易卜拉欣表示，青年人必须承担起当下领导者的角色，而不是等待未来，并敦促大学生们成为社会的道德指南针。

他表示，年轻人必须引领公共话语，并勇敢地倡导反对腐败、剥削和系统性不公正的事业。

“你们为什么总是谈论未来的领导者？是什么让你们认为年轻人现在还不是领导者呢？”他昨天在世界贸易中心 (WTC) 举行的第三届 2026 年国际青年未来领袖峰会 (iFUTURE 2026) 上发表讲话时说道。

安华回顾自己作为学生运动人士的经历时表示，他一直对老一辈人称年轻人为“未来的领导者”的说法持怀疑态度，并强调年轻人既是现在的领导者，也是未来的领导者。

“你们必须代表当代的良知。当今社会不能容忍腐败、剥削……也不能接受不公正。这就是当代的良知，青年必须全力捍卫这一事业，”他说道。

安华表示，真正的领导力需要道德基础和同理心，而不仅仅是学历，并告诫人们不要有知识上的傲慢。

他说：“你可能拥有博士学位和教授职位，但你病得很重，因为你没有按照你内心的良知运用你的知识。”

为确保学生领袖有空间进行批判性思考并表达自己的想法，安华重申了政府致力于取消 1971 年《大学和大学学院法》（AUKU）中的限制性条款的承诺。

“任何人都不会仅仅因为他们的想法和批评而被起诉，即使学生领袖选择批评首相。这并非犯罪。你必须捍卫自己的立场，但批评政府政策并非犯罪，”他补充道。

以“通过基于价值观的领导力重新定义未来领导者”为主题的 iFUTURE 2026 峰会是高等教育部的旗舰项目，由高等教育部门与学生勇气基金会和马来西亚彭亨苏丹阿卜杜拉大学战略合作举办。

为期三天的峰会于 10 月 11 日至 13 日举行，汇聚了 1231 名学生领袖，其中包括 813 名马来西亚学生和来自 60 个国家的 418 名国际代表，旨在通过思想交流和战略参与来促进国际学生领袖网络的发展。

出席者包括高等教育部长拿督斯里赞布里阿卜杜勒卡迪尔博士和他的副手亚当阿德利阿卜杜勒哈利姆。 — 马新社

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