KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 3 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today said he, as the prime minister, would not allow anyone to embezzle or steal money, recalling a lesson from his own childhood as he continued his firm stance against corruption in Malaysia.

Anwar today described a lesson he had learnt from his grandmother when he was a primary school student aged around eight or nine, after he took nutmegs from a small farm on a hill in Bukit Mertajam, Penang.

Anwar described his grandmother’s questioning, where he confirmed he did not buy and also did not get permission to take those nutmegs from a farm.

“But I said ‘Chinese farm’. So I thought Chinese farm, Malay steal, it’s ok. I was aged eight or nine,” he said in his speech at the Youth Economic Forum (YEF) 2026 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

“My grandmother said ‘No, if they are taken without permission, from whoever it is, even if they were four nutmegs, it is theft. And stealing is a sin,” he said.

Anwar said he had then decided to not eat the nutmegs and to return them the next day, but said his grandmother had insisted that he return them the same day itself.

Recalling that it was nearly 7pm and with all his friends having already returned home, Anwar said he then ran uphill in the dark and that he had felt afraid when he heard the sound of dogs.

“I took the four nutmegs and threw them back to that area. I ran back and cried, because I did not understand why my grandmother was so firm in ensuring discipline, because I stole four nutmegs and I can return them tomorrow.

“But that taught me, when (I) become prime minister, don’t steal and don’t allow others to steal,” he said to loud claps from the youth gathered at the plenary hall in KLCC.

He said he hoped youths would understand why it is important to master knowledge and also know what is considered wrong, and also urged them to maintain their values.

Before sharing his childhood story, Anwar had alluded to those who are corrupt when saying that Malaysia is not poor, but that the country had lost billions of its riches due to the practices of “penyakau” (thieves).

He urged youths in Malaysia to rise up to reject corruption, urging them not to compromise against “penyakau”.

Countering those who might accuse him of highlighting politics to youths, Anwar said youths may not be vocal, but are aware that theft is wrong.

He pointed out that even stealing a pencil or pen in school would result in reprimand from teachers, and questioned how stealing billions of ringgit when one has grown up to be a leader would be morally or ethically acceptable.

Earlier in his speech, Anwar emphasised the importance of morals and criticised those who may consider corruption acceptable as it involves their own race.

“There are people who told me, ‘This Datuk Anwar highlights corruption issues — 1MDB, Tabung Haji, Felda. These are Malay bodies. Don’t criticise, these are Malay bodies’. So if it’s Malay bodies, can ‘songlap’, ‘sakau’? Where did you learn this from? This is a damaged way of thinking,” he said.

The words “songlap” and “sakau” are generally used to refer to theft, with Anwar saying that Malaysia has the capability to rise further but that billions had been lost through 1Malaysia Development Berhad, Lembaga Tabung Haji and Felda.

Anwar said he was highlighting all these to the youth as he believes they still have idealism and want the country to be dignified, also believing that they “hate misappropriation, corruption and leaders who use their powers to gain riches”.

“Because the youths know many are still good, will uplift those who are good and reject those who are clearly corrupt and abused their powers,” Anwar said to loud cheers and claps from the youths gathered here. - malaymail