Anwar: Malaysia’s strength lies in managing differences fairly, religion must promote peace

KUALA LUMPUR, June 12 — Malaysia’s strength lies not in uniformity but in its ability to manage differences fairly and justly, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today.

Speaking at the 3rd International Summit of Religious Leaders 2026 here, Anwar said the country’s experience as a multi-racial and multi-religious nation demonstrates that people of different faiths and backgrounds can coexist peacefully while remaining committed to their respective beliefs.

The Prime Minister noted that while Islam is the religion of the federation as enshrined in the Federal Constitution, Malaysia remains a multi-racial nation where people exercise their rights and responsibilities with mutual respect and understanding.

“This is a multi-racial country; we exercise our rights and our duties with respect and deference. We want to ensure that every single member of our society, every single citizen, feels safe and equally protected.

“Therefore, our strength lies not in uniformity, but in our capacity to manage differences fairly and justly. We believe that this spirit, if consistently followed, will be the example for humanity at large,” he said.

Anwar also urged religious leaders to continue using their moral authority and influence to promote peace and justice, saying their role has become increasingly important amid growing global conflicts and humanitarian crises.

He stressed that the world was facing mounting challenges, demanding stronger moral leadership alongside a greater commitment to humanity and ethical values.

Anwar said such developments only underscored the growing importance of religious leaders in advocating reason, tolerance and moral responsibility in an increasingly uncertain world.

“Multilateralism is replaced by unilateralism. Peace is replaced by the propensity to continue unabated wars. The plight of the poor and the marginalised has been largely ignored.

“The role of religious leaders remains more relevant than ever because you represent the voice of conscience, of reason, of patience and of tolerance, which is in deficit in today’s world. Some call it post-normal times,” he said.

At the same time, Anwar warned that religion, which ought to be a wellspring of peace, tranquillity, prosperity and cohesion, was increasingly being politicised and manipulated to fuel hostility.

“Religion is supposed to promote peace but promotes discord instead. It is supposed to promote tolerance and justice but condones violence and injustice,” he said.

The Prime Minister also cited the continuing violence in Gaza and Lebanon as examples of the failure to uphold humanity and justice, noting that ceasefires were often violated shortly after being announced.

He said wars involving the wanton killing of women and children were increasingly portrayed as nothing unusual, while younger generations were being exposed to scenes of violence, destruction and human indignity.

“Ceasefires are declared only to be broken even before the ink has dried. Bombardments are carried out even as negotiations are being held,” he said. — Bernama