PETALING JAYA, Oct 7 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today said morality must be the foundation of governance, warning that public service without moral purpose risks losing its direction and legitimacy.
He said empowering citizens and ensuring progress reaches every layer of society are central duties of government, adding that a public service which fails to listen to the weak and marginalised forfeits its moral authority.
“Justice must guide our decisions. Progress stripped of compassion becomes dangerous and development without justice becomes hollow,” he said at the Asean Conference on a Future-Ready Public Service here.
Anwar said sustainability begins with responsible management of the environment, public finances and national institutions.
Citing ongoing reforms, he said the government is turning these principles into systems that improve lives — including digital identity for secure access to services, data-driven subsidies for targeted support, and the national energy transition roadmap to create jobs while maintaining fiscal stability.
“The next step is to connect these reforms to make government work as one, not many. Success is measured in time saved, in clarity gained, and in the confidence people feel that their data and dignity are protected,” he said.
He said leadership today requires moral clarity and the courage to reform, calling for a civil service ready to meet future challenges through transparency, accountability and long-term thinking.
Anwar said technology should make life easier and public service more humane, adding that government systems must build public trust through transparency, not bureaucracy.
He noted that even the best systems mean little without capable and ethical people to run them, stressing that public service must evolve into a learning institution that continuously reskills and upholds integrity as a core value.
