PKR President Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim speaks at the Youth Economic Forum 2019 in Kuala Lumpur November 9, 2019. — Picture by Miera Zulyana

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 9 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is beseeching Malaysians to lend the Pakatan Harapan help to overcome its biggest challenge in government — ending corruption and poverty.

The PKR president said one of the most “glaring” problems in the country is poverty, which is being enabled due to corrupt practices and the penchant for living lavishly that were endemic during the previous Barisan Nasional (BN) government and are have to be stamped out.

“Looking at some of the studies done by researchers, poverty is the major problem here in this country.

“I want to address this issue of poverty and inequality. Because, normally these economic jargons don’t impress me and should not impress you, if you actually mean and believe in the recent discourse of critical thinking,” he said in his speech at the Youth Economic Forum 2019 here today.

Though PH has been successful in many areas, he said there are still many major factors that make it hard for the country and by extension Malaysians, to prosper.

“Lavish living style, endemic corruption and greedy tycoons trying to continue today.

“But it is a major challenge and not easy for the present administration and prime minister to dismantle things which have been around for six decades,” the Port Dickson MP said.

In order to end poverty, the country’s economy, which has stagnated for over 10 years, must grow, he said.

“We must accept the fact that the economy must remain our major focus. We must do whatever it takes to ensure that we regain domestic and foreign investments,” he stressed.

Last week, Anwar reportedly said he would focus on strengthening the Malaysian economy in the effort to give a better life to the people.

He the national economic growth was flat in the last 10 years and it impacted on the lives of the people and the government’s capability to help them.