Welcoming Remarks at the Razak Lecture Series with HRH Raja Dr. Nazrin Shah

Bismillahir rahmanir rahim

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh, Salam Sejahtera dan Salam 1Malaysia

Menghadap

Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Raja Muda Perak Darul Ridzuan, Raja Dr. Nazrin Shah Ibni Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah

 Ampun Tuanku beribu ampun, sembah patik mohon diampun.

Patik melafazkan kesyukuran ke hadrat Allah SWT kerana dengan limpah rahmat dan izin Nya, dapatlah patik semua hadir bersama-sama Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Tuanku di dalam program Razak Lecture Series anjuran Razak School of Government pada pagi ini. Patik sekalian menjunjung kasih atas perkenan Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Tuanku berangkat mencemar duli untuk menzahirkan syarahan di dalam program ini. Sesungguhnya keberangkatan Duli Tuanku laksana sinar memancarkan cahaya penyuluh dalam usaha kami memperkasakan jentera perkhidmatan awam di negara ini.

Ampun Tuanku.

2. Patik memohon limpah perkenan Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Tuanku untuk patik menyampaikan sepatah dua kata-kata aluan kepada para hadirin sekalian.

Menjunjung kasih Tuanku.

Yang Berhormat Menteri,

Yang Amat Berhormat Menteri Besar,

Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

3. On behalf of the Razak School of Government, I welcome you to the third instalment of the Razak Lecture Series. It is my great honour to introduce our eminent speaker, His Royal Highness Raja Dr. Nazrin Shah, the Crown Prince of Perak Darul Ridzuan.

4. A graduate of the University of Oxford and with a doctorate in political economy and government from Harvard University, His Royal Highness’s intellectual prowess is well known. In fact, it is world-renowned. Tuanku’s participation in domestic and international knowledge-sharing platforms is highly sought after, which adds to our privilege of Tuanku graciously accepting our invitation to deliver the Razak Lecture. Tuanku has spoken widely on pertinent topics such as the pre-eminence of the rule of law, religious and cultural pluralism, education, the institution of monarchy and economic and political justice. A few months ago, Tuanku delivered the Distinguished Visiting Lecture at the Oxford Centre of Islamic Studies on “Islam, Muslims and Human Rights”, joining a list of other luminaries to deliver the lecture, including The Prince of Wales, Nelson Mandela and Kofi Annan. Whenever addressing topics of public concern, Tuanku has done so lucidly and penetratingly, and without fear or favour.

5. Tuanku’s chosen topic this morning is “The Challenges of Governance in Contemporary Malaysia”. To quote Tuanku’s own words: “Citizens today are increasingly educated, sophisticated and equipped. They demand more from government but trust it less. They demand a progressive and representative form of government. They want to be part of decision-making that affects their lives and livelihood. They are more interested in achieving outcomes rather than in obeying rules. They welcome and appreciate a government that is approachable and consultative; one that guides rather than one that directs.”

Unquote.

6. These words were spoken 5 years ago, demonstrating how tuned-in Tuanku is to the pulse of contemporary society. Those of us entrusted with the responsibility of governing are keenly aware of the pressure and need for our institutions of governance to further improve. If there is a problem to fix, we must fix it. This is the job we have been entrusted with. Not to fix it could risk our nation being squeezed into a position of mediocrity, or worse, decline. We do not want to be just ordinary, but an extraordinary model of governance. The role of the Razak School of Government is to reinforce one of the key institutions of governance in this country – the public service.

7. Today we have the privilege to listen to the invaluable insights from the perspective of another institution of governance – the Malaysian monarchy. Tuanku is well-known for being a working prince. His involvement in the public sphere is exemplary; so much so that it can put many of us public officials to shame. Among Tuanku’s many commitments, he is the Financial Ambassador for the Malaysian International Islamic Financial Centre, as well as Malaysia’s Special Envoy for Interfaith and Inter-civilisational Dialogue. Recently, Tuanku led a delegation of Malaysia’s top business leaders on an important visit to the United States aimed at strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries. A change-agent and a renaissance man, Tuanku cares deeply about the state of affairs of our nation and her people.

 8. It is with great anticipation, therefore, that I invite His Royal Highness Raja Dr. Nazrin Shah to provoke our thoughts and hopefully prompt our actions with his lecture on “The Challenges of Governance in Contemporary Malaysia”.

 Ampun Tuanku.