Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced on August 30, 2026, that billions of ringgit seized through legal processes and judicial decisions will be returned to the people, particularly to support education and healthcare sectors [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. He made the pledge during the 2026 National Day Prime Minister's Address at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre and associated events [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6].
Anwar stressed the importance of ensuring economic growth and asset recovery translate into real benefits for all Malaysians, regardless of ethnic background. "If people only want RM2,000, but what you took and allowed to disappear runs into billions of ringgit, I want to stop that, take it back and give it back to the people," he said [7]. He added, "What is the meaning of independence if the country's wealth is not returned to the people? What is the meaning of independence if there are children in remote and marginalised communities who do not have the opportunity to enjoy the prosperity enjoyed by others?" [5].
The government reaffirmed its commitment to working with enforcement agencies to recover seized funds and channel them into public services [1, 3, 4, 5]. Anwar cited the example of RM12 billion allegedly lost at Lembaga Tabung Haji, calling for investigation and accountability to be determined [7].
In related matters, Anwar committed to referring a letter sent by former Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan regarding ongoing corruption charges to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) or other relevant authorities for review. Although Anwar said he has not yet received Saravanan's letter, he promised, "Once it reaches me, it is not my affair. I will refer it to the MACC or the relevant ministry for them to examine" [8, 9, 10, 11]. He emphasized that no conclusions should be drawn until the courts decide, saying, "We must give room for the investigation to continue, as well as prosecution and the process, and not make any statements because it is not certain until it is determined by the court" [9].
Saravanan faces three charges related to accepting RM1.097 million in bribes. He described the accusations as "wild" and requested assistance to expedite the investigation and trial while stressing he is not seeking interference with the MACC [9, 10, 11].
Anwar also announced fiscal relief measures to help ease the cost of living and support small businesses, including a RM200 million grant for hawkers and traders under the Geran Sejahtera Madani program and raising the e-invoicing exemption threshold from RM1 million to RM3 million [6]. Additionally, petrol and diesel subsidy quotas will be reverted to 300 litres and 400 litres respectively starting August 30, 2026 [6].
On August 28, Anwar said he would leave Saravanan's letter to MACC and the Attorney General's Chambers for investigation [10, 11]. The day before his National Day address, he spoke at a business event affirming the need to recover billions lost to leakages and misuse, citing Tabung Haji as an example [7].
