KUALA LUMPUR (July 20): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has apologised for past remarks when speaking to civil servants.

“Many people have advised me that as prime minister, I should not raise my voice; I should speak calmly and politely to the people … I will try,” he said in a video statement posted across his social media accounts.

Anwar made the statement in his speech during an engagement session with civil servants from the Central Zone at Dewan Sultan Idris Shah, Universiti Islam Selangor.

The apology comes after the prime minister was told that there were times some people may have taken offence at his tone when he expressed his firm views, especially on matters involving conscience and responsibility toward the nation.

"I do not know, perhaps a prime minister is expected to always be calm?" he said.

Anwar said his remarks and tone were not intended to scold civil servants but were made because he viewed them as an important part of the machinery driving the country's programmes.

"If it is my mistake … I humbly apologise. But believe me, I am only expressing what I feel.”

He added: "Who else can I share these concerns with if not you … my own team, the machinery that can help implement the country's programmes?"