Negara hidup bermasyarakat tempang jika dipacu kemarahan, kata PM

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim emphasized that a nation living in harmony will falter if provoked to anger, while instead it must be guided by knowledge as the foundation for building a strong nation. He stated that the strength of a struggle cannot solely rely on emotion and passion, but also on the strength of knowledge that can enlighten and warn the society.

Anwar recalled his late mentor, Ustaz Fadzil Noor, who reminded that the vessel of Islam does not rise merely from passionate fervor, emotions, and sentiments, but with the strength of knowledge that is enlightening and cautioning. He further emphasized that in discussing the development of the Madani nation, it must be reinforced with knowledge.

This is what lays the groundwork for building a robust nation, he said during the 3 Generations Appreciation Dinner. His wife, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, and the Minister for Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), Zulkifli Hasan, were present. More than 2,000 members of the Youth Islamic Association (Abim), the Malaysia Cultural Foundation for Humanizing the Ummah (Wadah), and the National Islamic Students’ Association (PKPIM) attended the event.

Anwar stressed that in the context of building a Madani nation, changes should be anchored on conviction, idealism, and pure aspiration to uplift the dignity of the nation and the country, rather than emotions of supremacy, ethnicity, or the fight for supremacy. He reiterated that merely being born a Muslim or belonging to an Islamic lineage does not guarantee understanding of Islam.

The emergence of Islamic movements, Islamic unity, and Islamic organizations, along with their activities, do not guarantee the resurgence of the Islamic spirit beyond mere emotions and slogans. Therefore, our great responsibility is to revive the tradition of knowledge. According to him, the experience in the Islamic movement also taught him that struggle must be built on the foundation of belief and trust in acting, not just on the number of social media endorsements, votes, or acceptance.

Ultimately, it is for the sake of seeking and obtaining the blessings of Allah. May with the spirit and strength and support of our brothers, we can continue to build the strength of Islamic community. He also stressed the importance of the tradition of knowledge, usrah, and efforts to gather new ideas in forming the understanding of society, especially in a country composed of multiple ethnicities and religions.

Clearly, efforts to build a nation also need to pay attention to education and the acquisition of new knowledge, including artificial intelligence (AI), but at the same time without neglecting the foundation such as faith and good manners. We must acquire new knowledge, AI, but if we obtain it in the heavens, we leave the roots on earth, we will certainly see the danger in building a nation and its people.