Varsities must produce scholars with ethics – Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR: PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yesterday expressed disappointment over educational institutions that focus solely on academic achievement and do not shape people with conscience and ethics.

He said such educational outcomes make undergraduates to be seen as remaining silent when the nation is robbed of billions of ringgit by way of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.

The devastation of the country through such a massive robbery is contributed not only by the greed of politicians but due to the silence of these people, some of whom even defend those who have brought this misfortune that has befallen the people and country, he said.

“They are willing to be cheap tools in the name of race or religion.

“The headgear may be big, the beard may be long, the degrees may be many, but there is no conscience and ethics,” he said to reporters after delivering the Za’aba Lecture 2018 at Universiti Malaya here.

Anwar, who is the MP for Port Dickson, said it is a lesson that cannot be wiped out and should instead be rectified.

He said it is for this reason that in the context of education, it is needless to have grand buildings, libraries and professors when it is unable to produce people with morality and ethics.