"When it was proposed that Sept 29 be Malaysian Professionals Day, I agreed because it makes sense and serves a purpose," he said.
Anwar was speaking at the inaugural Professionals Conference & Exhibition (Profex 2026) at the KLGCC Convention Centre here today.
He said the professional class was central to national progress, adding that political leaders, civil servants and professionals had to work as one team.
Citing Spanish thinker José Ortega y Gasset, Anwar cautioned that specialisation must not come at the expense of a wider understanding of society, referring to what the thinker called the "barbarism of specialisation".
"Building a city is not only about buildings and concrete.
"If we build only from narrow, specialised viewpoints, we will build a concrete jungle," he said.
Anwar said the pursuit of excellence was also embedded in cultures and faiths familiar to Malaysians, citing the concepts of wasatiyyah (moderation) in Islam, Zhongyong (Doctrine of the Mean) in Confucianism and the "Golden Mean" in the Greek tradition.
The prime minister also warned that professionals could not escape responsibility for governance failures.
"When we look at past scandals, whether 1MDB, Tabung Haji or Felda, the political leadership is responsible, of course. But the professional class is not spared either," he said.
He said many people knew about wrongdoing but remained silent.
"Most people know but cannot speak out. Top professionals know their own field but are deaf and mute about everything else," he said.
Anwar said no country could survive if corruption was tolerated.
Meanwhile, he said he would bring proposals on engaging professionals to the Cabinet and asked Balai Ikhtisas Malaysia's leadership to identify experts in areas such as health, education and information technology.
"Remember, ministers, we do not have expertise in every area. We should listen and evaluate," he said. - NST
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