21-08-2005 - 21st IIUM Convocation Presidential Speech

Speech of YB. Tan Sri Sanusi Junid, President of International Islamic University of Malaysia at the 21st IIUM Convocation Ceremony - 2nd Session on 21st August 2005.

Assalaamu'alaikum Warahmatullaahi Wabarakaatuh.

Bismillaa hir rahmaa nir rahim.
Alhamdulillaa hi rabbil ‘alamin.
Wassalaa tu wassalaa mu ‘ala asyrafil anbiaa ii wal mursalin.
Wa’alaa aa lihi wasah bihi ajma’in.

Yang Berbahagia Professor Dr. Mohd Kamal Hassan,
Rektor Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia,
Ahli-ahli Lembaga Gebenor dan Ahli-ahli Majlis,
Tuan-tuan Yang Terutama Duta dan Pesuruhjaya Tinggi,
Kakitangan akademik dan pentadbiran,
Dif-dif terhormat,
Ibu-ibu, bapa-bapa, waris-waris,
Para pelajar dan para hadirin yang dihormati sekelian

SAMBUTAN

Sama-sama kita bersyukur kepada Allah s.w.t. atas limpah rahmatNya dan keizinanNya sahingga kita berada dalam keadaan sihat dan sejahtera didalam majlis konvokesyen yang ke-21 pada hari ini.

Selaku Presiden Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia, saya berasa sungguh bertuah kerana dapat bersama-sama dengan ibu-bapa, waris dan sanak saudara kepada graduan, dari seluruh dunia, yang akan menerima pelbagai ijazah didalam majlis pada hari ini.

CONGRATULATIONS

Kepada semua para graduan, ibu-bapa dan waris saya ucapkan tahniah.

It is both a great pleasure and an honour, as President of the International Islamic University Malaysia, to have this opportunity, today, to congratulate all graduates, for the satisfaction that you have earned and for your achievements, after having persevered with hard work over the years.

CHALLENGES OF THE FUTURE

I am sure with the knowledge, virtue and discipline instilled in all of you, in variable doses, quality, quantity and intensities, while studying at this university, and with the good reputation of the university, to back you up, you are now confident and prepared, as intellectuals, to face the many new, varied and unexpected challenges, for change, in the real world outside the campus.

Let us hope that while the reputation of the university backs you up, your service and reputation in the real world, in words and in deeds, will globally enhance the good name of the university.

QUOTING FROM THE CONSTITUTIONAL HEAD

HRH our Constittutional Head, in his speech yesterday said:

‘ When one talks of the glorious days of Islam, one simultaneously refers to the Dark Ages of Europe, when scientists were persecuted and humiliated in the West, and scientific literatures were burnt, as from 800 A. D., to the end of the Dark Ages, and the beginning of the Renaissance.

During that period, the Muslim world had more than 30 world class scientists, of the caliber of Newton, Edison and Einstein.’

HRH further said:

‘ The period of the Renaissance, or the revival of learning, can rightly be called a period of learning from the Muslims or Mulim sources, by the Christians.’

It is important to remember from time to time that while Muslims are now far behind in terms of knowledge, wealth and power, there was a time when we were in front.

INSPIRATION FROM HISTORY

This memory of past glory is important, in order to inspire and encourage us, and not just to comfort and compensate us, for our present setback, as we have to quickly wake up, and not linger too long in this memory, to face the challenges of the future.

Christians too have done the same, looking back into history for inspiration, particularly when in distress, in facing the Muslims, by remembering the Battle of Lepanto which was fought between the Turks and the Christians in 1571.

Before that battle the Turkish warriors of the Ottoman Empire were thought to be invincible, strong and powerful, and that they could not be defeated. The morale of the Christians were very low then, as low as Muslims are, at the moment, until their victory at the Battle of Lepanto.

The Christians have never forgotten this date 7th October, 1571, as the date when their fate was reversed when they saw 240 ships of the Ottoman Empire sunk and 30,000 Muslims dead or wounded as against only 12 ships of the Christian Holy League being sunk and only 9,000 dead or wounded.

Muslims should not look at the September 11th attack and destruction of the World Trade Center in New York as a Muslim victory comparable to the Christian victory at the Battle of Lepanto.

Muslims should instead remember, and not forget, the Golden Age of Islam when Muslim scholars dominate the world of knowledge and science.

Our memory of this Golden Age should be our source of inspiration for planned reversal of our present pathetic state of affairs..

CHINA AND INDIA

But the year 1571 is 534 years ago.

Is it possible then to see such reversals of fate, particularly of Muslims, in the present age?

The answer is positive.

Quoting HRH the Constitutional Head again:

‘ Hardly two decades ago, the world looked at China and India as bastions of poverty. But today the Chinese economy is a threatening competition with the West.

Trailing behind is India. (They dominate the IT world even in Europe and the USA).

WESTERN DIAGNOSES

In the case of China the western diagnoses for their success is attached to the free enterprise system; but India has remained poor, until recently, despite having a free enterprise economy since independence in 1947.

The western prescription of democracy as a precondition for economic success is disproved by India which has remained poor and democratic, for a long period, from the beginning of its independence.

So also are Russia, Afghanistan and Iraq which still could not not hope to see any light of prosperity, amidst chaos, in the horizon, despite their democracies.

Whereas China, though still undemocratic, are already thriving. In fact, while the US went to war to secure oil and gas resources, China just went around, the capitalistic way, and buy petroleum and gas companies anywhere possible. They even tried in the USA.

EDUCATION

The missing diagnoses is actually ‘education’ which the Chinese and Indians, from China and India, have persistently and consciously pursued, and backed up by their own indigenous research.’

If China and India can prosper and eventually be totally cured of their poverty problems, through knowledge, and reverse their earlier fate, I am sure Muslim nations can also reverse their status from being classified as poor nations to being nations with prosperity status.

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

As it is the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has identified only five (5) out of fifty-seven (57) Muslim countries “ as having high human development ” These five (5) Muslim countries enjoy a per capita GDP of above USD10,000-00 and thirty (30) Muslim countries have a GDP of below USD1,000-00.

Without human development there could not be national development, and there is no human development without education. Education is, of course, knowledge and experience.

LEADERS AND LEADERSHIP

However, besides knowledge, and knowledge of science and technology, Muslims, their communities, institutions and nations need leadership.

Which means having leaders who should be defined as problem solvers. Problem solvers who could monitor and guide the process of change towards progress.

Leaders with knowledge should be equipped with the qualities of trustworthiness, courage, discipline, hard-work and loyalty.

A leader, anywhere, should not be defined as a person who just have followers.

As even Ali Baba had forty (40) thieves as his followers.

We would only be undermining the dignity of the concept of leadership if we include trouble-makers, and not problem-solvers or managers of change process, as leaders.

It is in this context that we confer an honorary Doctorate Degree of Doctor in Medical Science for Humanitarian Services to Yang Berbahagia Datuk Dr. Jemilah Mahmood for her role as the leader of MERCY.

Datuk Dr. Jemilah is a model for courageous, knowledgeable, persevering and focussed leadership.

Besides thanking you on behalf of the university, I would also like, as President of the International Acehnese Consultative Committee (AICC), to convey, on behalf of the Acehnese Malay community of the world, the feeling of gratitude, for your help and services in Aceh after the Tsunami attack on 26th December, 2004.

BETRAYAL BY LEADERS

In a world where so called leaders, political and corporate, are eventually discovered or exposed to be gambling, cheating, corrupt and irresponsible, where enlightened leadership is wanting, one would like to see more of the like of Datuk Dr. Jemlilah on the scene.

Worldwide, many muslim and non-muslim institutions have been betrayed by their own captains or heads who were chosen not for their knowledge, integrity and ability, in solving problems, but instead, they are especially chosen based on popularity, which they might have bought, with their money, and with the support of the media, which is probably paid or properly rewarded or compensated, to advertise them.

This is a global problem infecting the Muslim world.

As young and future leaders, at various levels in the public and private entreprises, you must make it your fervent desire to add and improve, to what has been done or achieved by your predecessors, when you inherit their power and position. You should not be painting your predecessors black if you cannot whiten your image, or destroy their creation if you cannot add to or create new ventures as your own contribution to your nation.

WHO WILL GUARD THE GUARDS

But this is not a new problem. It has existed from time immorial.

There is a popular dictum by Lord Acton who said that, ‘ Power corrupts and absolutely power corrupts absolutely

On the other hand wealth does metamorphosize man and we have seen prominent youth leaders who demonstrated against corruption, during their student days, became very corrupt when they had the power.

This phenomena was depicted in the three parts of the pre-Christ Greek Satires of Juvenal.

In Part 11 the highlight was on ‘Moralists without Morals”.

As graduates of IIUM, you are expected to be moralists. But it is also important that you too live up to the Islamic moral expectations.

As to the hypocrites who might be yelling of a fantastic ‘Muslim Agenda,’ where there is none, the Greek puts this question, in Latin, to such characters:

‘ Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?’

or

‘ Who will guard the guards? ‘

In other words, ‘ ... if graduates of IIUM eventually become leaders or the guards of society, then who will watch you and make sure that you’re not dangerous to your society?’

As future Muslim leaders, let us hope that the ‘ guard to watch us from mischief is within us, and that is our IMAN, based on our love of Allah and the fear of HIM’

Being prepared with knowledge, motivation, leadership and iman graduates of IIUM has both their national and international roles to play.
 

MALAYSIA IS REAL ASIA

In our TV network there is always an advertisement declaring Malaysia as the Real Asia, as all races in Asia are represented in significant proportions in this country.

As well exposed Malaysian graduates of IIUM you should be able to understand the Asian mentality.

IIUM IS REAL OIC

However, at our university we have representatives, not only from Asia, but from all over the world, at all times.

Occasionally, up to 100 nations have their students studying here, and just as Malaysia is the Real Asia, we can also be said to be the Real OIC.

I was invited to an international leadership seminar of OIC youths before the last OIC conference in Malaysia. I was delighted to note that the conference was called international because 90 % of the participants were IIUM students from the different OIC countries of the world.

Only 3 days ago, on 18th August, an OIC Assimilation seminar was held in the Senate Hall where national flags of OIC member countries were standing in front of the various delegates representing their respective nations.

ALUMNI NETWORK

This sort of OIC – like programme is even possible on a monthly basis, at our campus. A graduate of this university, not having enough time to socialise with students from all other countries of the OIC, before graduation, can still utilize the alumni network, upon graduation, to develope the friendship leading towards strengthening the unity of the Muslim Ummah.

From the first convocation in 1987 till this 21st convocation in 2005 IIUM has produced 27,742 Malaysian graduates and 3413 non Malaysian graduates totalling 31155 graduates worldwide.

With increase facilities, and the resulting increase of graduates in the future, I can bravely say, in this forum, that ‘ if the graduates of IIUM cannot provide the basic framework and network for future Muslim unity, nothing else can.’

POVERTY AND UNDERDEVELOPMENT

Let us hope that the knowledge that you have acquired will provide you with employment. Let us also hope that the results of research will be commercialised with the backing of Islamic venture capital.

With your knowledge, motivation, leadership, iman and the spirit of unity we can hope, Insya Allah, to overcome the massive problems of poverty and underdevelopment in the Muslim world.

CONCLUSION

Marilah kita bersama-sama mendo’akan semoga para graduan dalam konvokesyen yang ke 21 ini, dan graduan-graduan sebelumnya, benar2 berperanan sebagai graduan harapan Ummah yang dapat menjadi pengawas kepada penjaga atau ‘ the guard of the guards ‘ sebagai jawapan kepada soalan ‘ Quis custodiet ipsos custodes ’ iaitu “ who will guard the guards?’ atau ‘ Siapakah yang akan menjaga penjaga’. Jawabnya graduan UIA.

Sekian, Wabilla hi Taufik Wal Hidayah Wassalaamu’alikum Warahmatullaahi Wabarakaatuh.