Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has called for the preservation and strengthening of silat, Malaysia’s traditional martial art, urging that it should not be forgotten, particularly among the Malay community, amid the nation’s rapid technological and digital development.
He said that while Malaysia continues to advance in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), digital technology and data centre development, silat must remain a vital cultural heritage and a symbol of national identity.
“On behalf of the Madani government that I have been entrusted to lead, we will continue striving to ensure Malaysia emerges as a strong and successful nation in the Asian region.
“However, we also want this country to remain firmly grounded. Malays must not lose their identity. We must uplift the dignity and standing of the people by embracing new knowledge, while remaining anchored to our historical roots, including silat,” he said.
Anwar was speaking at the closing ceremony of the Northern Zone Gema Pendekar Madani Gathering and the Pendekar Utama Negara Dato’ Dr Raja Abdul Majid Cup Open Silat Championships at the Sungai Petani Municipal Council Hall on Saturday night.
Also present were Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari.
The Prime Minister said every school, village and suburban area should have a silat group to help nurture discipline, resilience and fighting spirit, particularly among the Malay community.
However, he stressed that silat practitioners must uphold strong moral values, remain firmly grounded in Islamic teachings, strengthen bonds of brotherhood, and respect Malaysia’s multi-racial and multi-religious reality.
“The world is changing. Strength must come from knowledge and an understanding of technology. But as long as we remain rooted to the ground, we will not lose our Malay culture, our identity, or the history of our people,” he added.
