He said Malaysians have long celebrated various festivals such as Deepavali, Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Chinese New Year, and Christmas as a way to strengthen unity among the nation’s diverse communities.
“This is unique to Malaysia because not many countries are as multiracial and multireligious as us,” Anwar said at the Madani Deepavali Open House 2025 held at KL Sentral here today.
“We take it for granted as part of our tradition, but we must do everything possible to preserve the unity and affection we have for one another. This is a very fundamental spirit for me.”
However, Anwar noted that managing the expectations and demands of different communities in a multiracial country is not an easy task, especially regarding financial allocations.
“If you provide assistance to the Bumiputera community, the Chinese will complain. If you increase allocations for Indian projects, the Malays will say they are being left behind.
“This kind of narrative is being played up everywhere, be it in the rural or urban areas, and sometimes even in Parliament,” he said.
Anwar urged Malaysians to be more discerning in evaluating information found online to avoid being manipulated by racial sentiments.
He noted that the urge to follow racial sentiments is often stronger than reason, which he said could be seen in the rise of right-wing extremism targeting minorities in Europe and the United States.
“That’s why we must remain vigilant against such narratives,” he said.
He said the government welcomed criticism but stressed that it must be constructive rather than racially motivated, citing several initiatives by Putrajaya to uplift the Indian community.
Anwar said efforts to eradicate hardcore poverty were carried out regardless of race, while specific allocations had been channelled to the Indian community through Tekun and Amanah Ikhtiar.
“Our Housing Credit Guarantee Scheme approved RM1.2 billion worth of loans for Indian applicants last year, but this was not widely discussed in the media.
“Instead, much attention was given to the RM100 million allocation for Mitra, which is only a small part of our broader efforts to assist the Indian community,” he said.
Anwar also addressed concerns about the marginalisation of Indian students in the centralised Unit Pusat Universiti (UPU) admission process, saying the government was working to resolve the long-standing issue.
He said an additional 1,500 university placements were allocated in the 2026 budget, which was open to STPM students from various racial backgrounds.
“I don’t think this is enough, but the government is looking for ways to improve and expand its capacity,” he added.