PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim stated that the country’s budget and development framework is designed not only to drive economic growth but also to ensure that its benefits extend to the grassroots level.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Anwar highlighted the importance of balancing incentives that stimulate growth and attract investments with addressing the needs of the less fortunate. He stressed that digital and energy transformations should be inclusive, benefiting all segments of society. He urged profitable institutions, such as banks, to be mindful of the challenges faced by the poorest working groups, emphasizing concerns like food security, housing conditions, and salaries, particularly for families of drivers and impoverished guardians.

During the Ministry of Finance’s monthly assembly, Anwar, who also serves as the Finance Minister, remarked that while the nation’s growth has exceeded projections, this success must not breed complacency within government machinery. He undersc
ored the need for the public service to “strive for excellence,” continuously aiming to reach new heights and improve further. Anwar encouraged civil servants to explore methods to achieve success beyond previous accomplishments, while also enhancing digital transformation, efficiency, and management practices.

Anwar proposed monthly knowledge sessions at the Treasury focused on technology, digitalisation, and banking to boost work process capabilities, complementing existing sessions at Seri Perdana. These initiatives aim to foster a culture of knowledge and elevate the nation’s skills and expertise. While advocating for proficiency in emerging disciplines, Anwar reminded civil servants to uphold core values such as culture, humanity, religious conviction, and morality.

He cautioned against arrogance among those in higher positions towards lower-ranking individuals, citing a recent viral incident in Indonesia where a preacher insulted a tea seller. Anwar noted that arrogance can appear in individuals regar
dless of their religious understanding. The incident involved a preacher making derogatory remarks towards an iced tea seller during a lecture in Central Jawa, though the preacher later apologized by visiting the seller’s home.