Credit : Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's X
MACHAP UMBOO, Melaka, November 5, 2026 – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Deepavali’s message of light over darkness must be matched by respect for every community and concrete help so that no Malaysian is left behind, speaking at the Sinar Deepavali MADANI celebration in Machap Umboo, Melaka.
In a post shared on X on Thursday, Anwar said Deepavali carries a deep meaning about the victory of truth over falsehood, good over evil, and justice over oppression — the spirit he stressed while with people of many communities at the Melaka gathering the previous night.
Unity and a place for every community
He said Malaysia’s strength lies in the willingness to respect one another’s traditions, cultures and beliefs, while ensuring that every citizen — regardless of ethnicity, religion or background — has a rightful place in the country’s development.
That principle, he wrote, is also reflected in the MADANI Government’s efforts to expand Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) aid, raise the allocation for the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (MITRA) to RM150 million, and open access to financing from Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia and TEKUN for Indians who need it.
Anti-corruption and dignity for all
“Indeed, the light of Deepavali should continue to illuminate our resolve to build a united country, reject corruption and abuse, and uphold justice and the dignity of every person. No citizen should be sidelined, and no group should feel shut out from the great aspirations of Malaysia MADANI,” he said.
He closed with Deepavali greetings — “Deepavali Nalvaalthukkal! Nandri, vanakkam.” Photographs with the post show Anwar among celebrants in festive attire at the Melaka event.
The Melaka celebration is separate from the Mega Bazaar Deepavali visit in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, where Anwar and Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil had also highlighted STR Phase 4 and the higher MITRA allocation earlier in the week. Anwar’s Machap Umboo message repeats the RM150 million MITRA figure and adds AIM and TEKUN financing access for the Indian community, framed around unity and anti-corruption.
Deepavali, the festival of lights observed by Hindu communities, falls in this period in 2026. Anwar’s post presents his own account of the Melaka celebration and the policy points he tied to it; it does not set new statutory rules beyond restating government aid and financing measures already associated with the MADANI programme for Indian Malaysians.
Source: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on X.
Credit : Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s X
About The Author
