Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said he will be returning the allowance he received as the chairman of Khazanah Nasional Bhd while reiterating that he does not draw a salary for the prime minister position that he has held since November 2022.
Anwar, who is also finance minister, said he declined to accept the allowance and salary as long as the country’s economy has not fully recovered.
“Earlier, I chaired the Khazanah meeting. Apparently, (as) the chairman of Khazanah and as prime minister, there are allowances and I was not aware.
“After a few months, the allowance (for meetings) was deposited into my bank account, and I informed them that I would not be taking it.
“I had to return the Khazanah allowance and instructed them not to pay my meeting allowance,” he said
In his first media conference as prime minister on November 24, 2022, Anwar said he would not accept a salary for the position and described it as a first step to gaining the people’s confidence in his leadership.
Anwar said he works passionately because he has faced significant challenges in life, and these experiences have motivated him to dedicate himself to improving the lives of the people.
“I have experienced extreme hardship and suffering, which has taught me that when in power, I should do my best to help uplift the fate of the people.
“That’s why I say, I am not from a wealthy family and I do not take a salary as a prime minister. Some people say I don’t take a prime minister’s salary and (instead) take a salary as finance minister. That is not true,” he clarified.
On hardcore poverty, he noted that the government has addressed the issue in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Penang, Perak and Johor.
