SEBERANG PERAI: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim today announced an allocation of about RM2 million to “ignite the spirit of Pendekar Madani”, aimed at promoting silat, the Malay martial art, while instilling pride in Malay cultural heritage.
Anwar also hopes to unite the younger Malays, strengthen their character and cultivate leadership grounded in the noble values of Malay traditions.
He said martial arts is not about arrogance but about cultivating discipline, respect and responsibility among the Malays while also promoting harmony with other communities.
“If the Malay people do not have unity, discipline, strength, mastery of knowledge, pride in their identity and respect for their own culture, they will not be strong.
“They will be marginalised, humiliated and degraded,” he said in officiating the Pendekar Madani event in Politeknik Seberang Perai here today.
More than 10,000 silat martial artists of all ages from across the country participated in the event.