PM Anwar Pledges to Donate All Royalties from New Book to Help Underprivileged Students

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced today that every sen of royalty from his latest book, ‘Rethinking Ourselves’, will be fully channeled to underprivileged students in the country.

He said the book is published globally by Hurst for the United Kingdom, United States, and European markets; Penguin for Asia; and Hong Kong University Press for China and East Asia, with projected royalties expected to be significant as prices are set by the publishers.

“So thank you once again, and my staff will ensure that when the royalties are received, every single sen will immediately be channeled to poor students in this country,” he said during the book launch at Tsutaya Books, Pavilion Bukit Jalil, here today (7 December).

Not just an autobiography

Further commenting on the book, Anwar said it is not merely an autobiography but rather a compilation of the evolution of his ideas since the 1970s, covering issues such as justice, reform, corruption, religious extremism, and the challenges of Malaysia’s multiracial society.

He also highlighted current global challenges including digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI), and energy transition, emphasising that technological progress should not come at the expense of human values.

The Prime Minister said the book was written over more than a decade, including some of his personal notes during his time in Sungai Buloh Prison, as well as reflections from various phases of his life as an activist, minister, and political detainee.