'Giant's strength' must not lead to tyranny - Anwar

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim today warned those in positions of power against abusing their authority, stressing that power must come with responsibility and accountability.

Quoting English playwright William Shakespeare, the premier said: “It is excellent to have a giant's strength, but it is tyrannous to use it like a giant.”

He said the principle was particularly important when decisions made by those in power would largely affect marginalised and vulnerable communities, especially those who have no direct access to decision-makers.

“In the world today, I think there have been enough studies and references on the issue of accountability or democratic accountability, but it is not given adequate attention.

“(These include) the issues of world governance and national governance. I believe that happens to be the source of the problem,” Anwar said during the opening of the Khazanah Megatrends Forum 2026 in Kuala Lumpur.

As a remedy, Anwar said the answer lay in “amanah”, or the responsibility entrusted to those in positions of power. He stressed that while the concept was easy to understand, putting it into practice remained a major challenge.

The premier said accountability should not depend solely on external checks or oversight, but must also come from within those entrusted with power.

“So, in the end, the watchman at every level must also watch himself,” he added.

Turbulent global landscape

Turning to global developments, Anwar said Malaysia must now navigate an increasingly turbulent landscape marked by energy disruptions, advances in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity risks, and growing trade restrictions involving tariffs, semiconductors, and critical minerals.

He stressed that as a trade-dependent nation deeply embedded in global supply chains, Malaysia could not afford to be complacent amid mounting geopolitical, technological, and economic pressures.

“For a country that lives by trade, with factories in the middle of the world, chips, supply chains, this is not a mere theoretical consideration.

“A trading nation that is naive about this does not stay a trading nation for long,” he said.

He said Malaysia must therefore continue to focus on the economy and international trade while fostering relations with partners in both the West and East.

This approach, he added, had enabled Malaysia to sustain growth through investment and trade with the United States and Europe, while strengthening ties with China, South Korea, Japan, and India.

“To navigate and maintain the balance, we met and discussed with Chinese President Xi Jinping last year, and had to dance with US President Donald Trump. But even then, I'm not naive to consider this easy,” he said.

Asean centrality

At the forum, Anwar also stressed the importance of Asean centrality in these negotiations, saying the regional grouping must be able to shape events rather than merely host meetings.

He said Malaysia and its neighbours had navigated disputes and differences, but these could be managed through negotiation and dialogue.

“We are fortunate in this region of sanity, where differences are dealt with through negotiations, with a focus on long-term trade and investments.

“And I think credit goes to leaders in this region, too, that focus and emphasise the need to attain peace to prepare for economic development,” he added.

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