KUALA LUMPUR: No student will be prosecuted for expressing their views, even if they criticise the prime minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.
Speaking to local and international students at iFUTURE 2026 at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur today, Anwar said young people must act as society's conscience against corruption and injustice.
"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 this government," he said.
Anwar said he had asked Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, his deputy Adam Adli Abd Halim and the ministry to take immediate action against provisions in the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 that could be seen as restricting student freedoms and activities.
"That is what I mean by amending or scrapping those provisions which can be perceived and be abused," he said.
https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2026/08/1511577/anwar-announces-abolition-universities-and-university-colleges-act
In August, Anwar announced that the government would abolish the Act following concerns raised by university students.
Anwar said he had long questioned the notion that young people were merely leaders of the future.
"What makes you think that the young are not leaders on their own right now?
"You represent the present and the future. You must represent the conscience of the present. The present society cannot condone corruption, cannot condone exploitation, cannot condone and accept injustice," he said.
He added that students, like their elders, would make mistakes and that teachers and parents had a duty to advise and correct them.
"But similarly, so are the leaders. Leaders sometimes commit blunders. Look at history, recent history of our country. Look at the various scandals, billions lost," he said.
Anwar said Malaysia was among the few countries to rank education as its largest budget allocation, followed by healthcare.
He also said he took a strong stance against racism and religious bigotry, adding that the country's problems were not rooted in race or religion.
"It's the crooks who use race and religion to hide their own excesses," he said.
He said every community deserved to have its rights defended.
"The Malays, the Chinese, the Indians, the Ibans, the Kadazans, they are all my children and they deserve to be given the right and protection," he said.
Anwar urged participants to share suggestions with the government if they identified weaknesses during the programme.
"If you have any suggestions, please share with us so that we can work together to help one another," he said.
"We want you to feel that Malaysia is also your home, your second home," he told international participants.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd