KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the Madani government is currently at war with corruption.
He said it is his duty as a leader to wipe out the scourge of corruption for the sake of Malaysia's development.
"The Madani government is currently at war with corruption.
"There are some who talk about issues like the Malays or religion and Islam but these topics are sometimes used as a smokescreen for them to plunder the nation's wealth.
"I do not want this to happen again. Lessons must be learnt.
"In our review of nearly every (government) contract, there are always leakages.
"How can a country be capable and progressive if there are leakages. These leakages are not small in number but in the hundreds of millions or even billions of ringgit," he said at the groundbreaking ceremony of Sekolah Menengah Integrasi Sains Tahfiz (SMISTA), under the purview of Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) in Bukit Jalil today.
Present were the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa.
Anwar said he has no problem with declaring his assets again if asked to do so.
"If I am asked to declare my assets again tomorrow, I will do so. Scrutinise as much as you want, only then can we truly be leaders and role models.
"If not, what lessons can we teach the people? For me, elevating the status of Islam requires efficient and swift governance," he said.
Anwar asked if it was necessary) for a leader when they become prime minister or finance minister to have "hundreds of millions."
"(But) when we ask for asset declarations, there is anger and resentment. What is there to resent? If you are not guilty, why fear declaring your assets?"
Anwar also noted that in his almost two years as prime minister, he has stood firm against approving more mega projects.
"As such, I ask the people not to judge my achievements on how many skyscrapers are built," he said.