The Sun

Keynote address by the Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah, at the first annual Student Leaders Summit 2007 — “Celebrating 50 Years of Nationhood” — on Aug 5, 2007, at Nikko Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

I am delighted to be here this morning to deliver the keynote address at this Summit, dedicated as it is to Youth. All of you in this room are the creme de la creme of the young generation — those fortunate enough and intelligent enough to benefit from the best education. You are the future leaders of this nation.

This morning, I want to talk to you about the challenges and prospects for nation-building. Nation-building refers to the structuring of a country, with the help of state power, to ensure a strong national identity that is viable in the long run. It is predicated on national unity and is a topic of utmost importance to all of us, not least the younger generation. Fifty years of the national relay race has been run. Soon the baton will be handed to those of you who will run the next lap. The Malaysia familiar to most, if not all, of you is the modern prosperous nation with its increasingly urban population and robust middle class; not the poor and predominantly agricultural society of 50 years ago. When Malaysia gained independence, we were on a par with countries like Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Ghana, Morocco and Senegal in terms of per capita income. Today we have far surpassed these countries in economic growth and human development.

However, it is important to be aware that this was a far-fetched vision 50 years ago. The first Merdeka generation, almost overnight, found themselves tasked with an onerous job when Malaysia gained independence. The country was born against the backdrop of a virulent communist insurgency. Poverty was widespread, particularly in the rural areas. There was very little sense of unity and national identity. The states that made up the federation were only loosely integrated. Many people regarded themselves primarily as natives of their state rather than as nationals of Malaya. The enlargement of Malaya into Malaysia in 1963 was vigorously opposed by our neighbours, leading to confrontation with Indonesia. After the traumatic events of 1969, many predicted the imminent disintegration of Malaysian society.

That we have been able to forge a successful nation without resorting to the rule of the gun makes us something of an oddity in a region of coups, civil strife and people power. This has been due in large part to wise leadership, the innate good sense of the Malaysian people — and a bit of luck. Today, the nine Sultanates, two Straits Settlements and the two states in Borneo have united in a tangible way despite historical separation and physical distance. Development policies and communication channels have managed to fuse together the myriad religions and ethnic groups and forged a sense of belonging and shared destiny.
[more…]

Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, SUN:

The Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah, today outlined three essentials for an effective and sustained nation-building that include Rule of Law and inviolability of the constitution.
Economic, social justice for all and good governance and a thriving civil society are the other two essentials, he said in his keynote address at the inaugural Student Leaders’ Summit 2007.

On the Rule of Law, Raja Nazrin said the constitution was the nation’s supreme law that guarantees fundamental liberties to every citizen. He said the cleverly crafted document clearly provides for adequate “checks and balances” against excesses through the separation of powers between the executive, legislative and judicial branches, with each protected from encroachment by the other.

“It has often been said many misunderstandings may be avoided if the principles embodied in the constitution are adhered to strictly. Upholding the Rule of Law is paramount,” he said in his address entitled “Challenges and Prospects for Nation-Building - A Lesson for the Young and Bright.

On economic and social justice, Raja Nazrin said all groups in society, regardless of their ethnicities, religion or gender, must participate in decision-making that affect their lives and livelihood.
“They must have voice and a place in all sectors. They must carry equal responsibilities in making society work.

“The people we work and play with, the friendship we make, must never be constrained by ethnicity,” he said.

The Perak prince said preconceptions, parochialism and chauvinism can be eradicated if the people interacted freely and actively with others of different ethnic groups or religions, “even if it is just one teacher, one policeman or one schoolmate.”

“In many areas, this is absent and it must change,” he said.
[more…]

The Sun

The following is the full text of Raja Muda Perak Darul Ridzuan Raja Nazrin Shah’s speech at the launch of a book on former Deputy Prime Minister Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman titled “Not because of position: Tun Dr Ismail and his time” in Universiti Malaya today (Aug 3, 2007):

Note: The text is mixed in Bahasa Malaysia and English

TITAH
DULI YANG TERAMAT MULIA RAJA MUDA PERAK DARUL RIDZUAN
RAJA NAZRIN SHAH
Di MAJLIS PELANCARAN BUKU ‘BUKAN KERANA PANGKAT: TUN
DR. ISMAIL DAN MASANYA’
TARIKH: 3 OGOS 2007 (JUMAAT); JAM: 10.05 PAGI,
TEMPAT: DEWAN KULIAH UTAMA, AKADEMI PENGAJIAN ISLAM
UNIVERSITI MALAYA, KUALA LUMPUR.

Assalamualaikum Warahmatuilahi Wabarakatuh
Salam Sejahtera

Bismillahi Rahmani Rahim

Alhamdulillah, dengan penentuan dari ALLAH Subhanahu Wataala, Majlis Pelancaran Buku, ‘Bukan Kerana Pangkat Tun Dr Ismail dan Masanya, dapat dilangsungkan pada pagi Jumaat penuh berkat ini. Beta bersyukur ke hadrat ILAHI kerana dengan izin dari Nya juga, Beta bersama Raja Puan Besar Perak Darul Ridzuan dapat berangkat ke Majlis ini.

2. Tun Dr. Ismail bin Abdul Rahman telah kembali ke rahmatullah pada 2 Ogos 1973, ketika baru mencecah usia 57 tahun, satu jangka hayat yang pendek, namun telah cukup untuk membolehkan namanya terpahat dalam sejarah negara. Dr. Ismail tidak memerlukan tempoh yang lama untuk memahat sejarah; Dr. Ismail - tidak memerlukan hikayat yang panjang untuk dikenali. Begitu berharga jasa - begitu bernilai khidmat Dr. Ismail kepada negara bangsanya. Karakter Dr. Ismail tepat di luar tepat di dalam, mudah dibaca - senang difahami. Lidahnya bertutur dalam bahasa yang sama meski berhadapan kumpulan yang berbeza. Apa yang dikata, tetap dikota.
[more…]

Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, August 3 (Bernama) — Although the late Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman was known as a true Malay patriot, the former deputy prime minister was never a racist, said the Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah.

He said Tun Dr Ismail also never condoned discriminatory practices on the grounds of race and instead always reminded that Malaysia was not a regimented society.

“He repeatedly stressed that Malaysia was a multi-racial country with each race having its own culture and traditions and the importance of having leaders who would forge a Malaysia that had unity in diversity,” he said in a voice choked with emotion when launching the book “Bukan Kerana Pangkat: Tun Dr Ismail Dan Masanya” at Universiti Malaya here today.

The book is a Malay translation of Tun Dr Ismail’s biography “The Reluctant Politican-Tun Dr Ismail and His Time” from English. The biography was authored by Dr Ooi Kee Beng, the programme coordinator of Malaysian Studies at the Institute of South-East Asian Studies (ISEAS) in Singapore.

The book is based on the personal letters of Tun Dr Ismail and an unfinished memoir by him titled “Drifting Into Politics”, which is now in the possession of his eldest son, Tawfik, 56.

Raja Nazrin said that Tun Dr Ismail and his contemporaries, who formed the first wave of leadership for a newly-independent Malaysia, also demonstrated unquestionable integrity.

“They displayed loyalty to their cause, the principles they held dear, and to the people and nation,” he said.

He said that although at the time, the country did even have a single university or many intellectuals, it was blessed with the finest leaders.

“What was lacking in terms of a big pool of intellectuals, was made up for by their rich integrity and sense of loyalty,” said Raja Nazrin.

He said that although the first wave of leaders were mostly from elite groups, mainly the aristocracy or upper class, they never lost the common touch and empathised with the suffering of the poor and the problems faced by ordinary people like farmers and labourers.

They took it as their responsibility to champion for the masses, and it was this spirit that enabled Malaysia to become a stable nation that is strong economically and politically, he said.

“Now after 50 years of independence, this spirit of caring for the masses should not wane among those in positions of power,” he said, adding that Malaysians who were poor and in the lower income groups still needed help to lead better lives.

He said leaders must not betray the trust the people placed in them by becoming greedy and amassing riches for themselves and their families.

“Leaders are like the trunk and branches of a tree and the people the roots, which ultimately determine how well the tree grows.

“Lead by example with sincerity, sacrifice and integrity just as Tun Dr. Ismail and his contemporaries did post-Merdeka (independence),” he said.

Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR: People with a chequered past or clear evidence of questionable morality should be prevented from taking office, the Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah, said last night.

He said this was integral to good governance, one of the three major themes of the works of the late Prof Datuk Dr Syed Hussein Alatas, a renowned sociologist and intellectual.

“Figures in authority must be chosen for their integrity first and qualifications second,” he said in his inaugural lecture to commemorate the legacy of Dr Syed Hussein entitled Towards a Decent Social Order for All Malaysians.

He said the battle against corruption had always been the top priority of Dr Syed Hussein who published four books on the topic as early as in 1968.

Raja Nazrin said corruption was mankind’s most deadly social disease as it could undermine good governance, weaken institutional foundations, distort public policies, compromise the rule of law and constrain the economy.

He said corruption curbed competitiveness to the detriment of economic and social developments, would lead to tremendous misallocation of resources and make cost of doing business to become unacceptably high.

“Corruption exists because of man’s enduring desire for personal gains. Once corruption becomes widespread, it will no longer seem immoral and unlawful, just business as usual,” he added.

He said there must be concrete anti-corruption measures and management practices based on efficiency, transparency and accountability.

He said the mobilisation of public opinion was also an integral part of good governance as Dr Syed Hussein placed great emphasis in the power of public outrage.

Raja Nazrin said Dr Syed Hussein believed that if society’s consciousness was awakened to the ills of corruption and gave its cases widespread publicity, it would generate such adverse reaction that the government would be forced to take action.

The lecture was the first of the Albukhary Foundation Lecture Series.