Friday, August 15, 2008

Anwar's "Merdeka"...

That's his campaign theme.

It's now or never, says Parti Keadilan Rakyat de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, to FREE the country of all the kezaliman, tyranny et al.

"We want to save our nation from all wrongdoings, mischief and oppressive governance," said Anwar at a rally in Kampung Kota, one of the many small villages that dot the Permatang Pauh constituency.

He faces Arif Shah Omar Shah, the Seberang Jaya state assemblyman, in the Aug 26 by-election.

Anwar wants the voters to help put him on the road to Putrajaya to save the country from all that's wrong .

Can Anwar save us all? Is he the one?

(source:Malaysiankini)

34 comments:

Anonymous said...

NEVER!!!...ask all the Malay College boys, including Tun Haniff!! Ask the Class of 64, his classmates (excluding Kamarul Bahrin, MP Teluk Kemang)!! We all know what Anwar is capable of....but NOT as our PM!! NEVER!!

Anonymous said...

"We want to save our nation from all wrongdoings, mischief and oppressive governance," said Anwar"

there's only one thing right now in Anwar's mind - to become the next Prime Minister!.before he take another step further,he should take on Permatang Pauh first and reduce the crimerates there also do more development if he wins the seat.

Anonymous said...

Rakyat got the only choice now... Who else but his PR...

We Rakyat need to seize this moment and this kind of opportunity did not come easily...

Especially BN UMNO which is racial and not capable of leading the government with fair and just but full of bullshits...

ENOUGH is ENOUGH!!!

Anwar is a man with guts... with his PR over 5 states... it is a time for CHANGE!!!

* ainul AB * said...

Dear Pn., I'm trying to trust him but he himself makes him can't be trusted. I wonder what makes him soooo interested to be a PM. What makes America soooo bother about his sodomy case, and why he keeps saying that he is a conspiracy victim if there is no such prove 'saying' so. How he is able to live in a large condo villa, driving a huge car & wearing a popular branded attires IF he is really a 'teraniaya' person. He's having a luxury lifestyle while most of us (like me) are still "kais bulan makan bulan". I wonder if his perjuangan is sincerely for rakyat or is purely only for his OWN benefit. Wallahulam.

Anonymous said...

Whether he is or is not only time and opportunity will tell. He's the first. It's a start. Only hope he's not the last.

Anonymous said...

Anwar's Merdeka is a campaign to free him from accusation of the sodomy case. I think that his important goal is just to become the PM, nothing else matters. If he is offered to enter UMNO with the promise of PM's seat, he definitely will cross over to UMNO. No doubt.

Hi&Lo said...

Anwar is the only one available to bring abt a new dawn. I believe he has the conviction and motivation after what he had gone thru.

Anonymous said...

saturday ...AWAS...AWAS...AWAS...! the indian-looked jihat womwn going to self-sacrifice with anwar bersama2 dgn c1,2,3 or 4 kept in her NEW French buaya-skin hand bag ( buatan PP )!!
dun...i repeat , DUN ever let her near anwar pretending to shake hands !!
anwar, let your arrogant thugs & samsings handle her, they DIE never mind BUT not you, our ' hope & illusive PM ' on the 16/9/08, ok ! take care & regards to your family !!

Nasionalis said...

Layak untuk buat filem Sivaji the Boss ...

Lets ponder what he did as Minister and DPM.

Is he capable to understand and form solution.

Do we need any more politicians???

Anonymous said...

We the Rakyat, should evaluate and determine the kind of Leaders we want for our beloved country, Malaysia


Here are the Top 10 Qualities of a Good Leader

By David Hakala


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Leadership can be defined as one's ability to get others to willingly follow. Every organization needs leaders at every level. Leaders can be found and nurtured if you look for the following character traits:

A leader with vision has a clear, vivid picture of where to go, as well as a firm grasp on what success looks like and how to achieve it. But it’s not enough to have a vision; leaders must also share it and act upon it. Jack Welch, former chairman and CEO of General Electric Co., said, "Good leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision and relentlessly drive it to completion."

A leader must be able to communicate his or her vision in terms that cause followers to buy into it. He or she must communicate clearly and passionately, as passion is contagious.

A good leader must have the discipline to work toward his or her vision single-mindedly, as well as to direct his or her actions and those of the team toward the goal. Action is the mark of a leader. A leader does not suffer “analysis paralysis” but is always doing something in pursuit of the vision, inspiring others to do the same.

Integrity is the integration of outward actions and inner values. A person of integrity is the same on the outside and on the inside. Such an individual can be trusted because he or she never veers from inner values, even when it might be expeditious to do so. A leader must have the trust of followers and therefore must display integrity.

Honest dealings, predictable reactions, well-controlled emotions, and an absence of tantrums and harsh outbursts are all signs of integrity. A leader who is centered in integrity will be more approachable by followers.

Dedication means spending whatever time or energy is necessary to accomplish the task at hand. A leader inspires dedication by example, doing whatever it takes to complete the next step toward the vision. By setting an excellent example, leaders can show followers that there are no nine-to-five jobs on the team, only opportunities to achieve something great.

Magnanimity means giving credit where it is due. A magnanimous leader ensures that credit for successes is spread as widely as possible throughout the organisation. Conversely, a good leader takes personal responsibility for failures. This sort of reverse magnanimity helps other people feel good about themselves and draws the team closer together. To spread the fame and take the blame is a hallmark of effective leadership.

Leaders with humility recognize that they are no better or worse than other members of the team. A humble leader is not self-effacing but rather tries to elevate everyone. Leaders with humility also understand that their status does not make them a god. Mahatma Gandhi is a role model for Indian leaders, and he pursued a “follower-centric” leadership role.

Openness means being able to listen to new ideas, even if they do not conform to the usual way of thinking. Good leaders are able to suspend judgment while listening to others’ ideas, as well as accept new ways of doing things that someone else thought of. Openness builds mutual respect and trust between leaders and followers, and it also keeps the team well supplied with new ideas that can further its vision.

Creativity is the ability to think differently, to get outside of the box that constrains solutions. Creativity gives leaders the ability to see things that others have not seen and thus lead followers in new directions. The most important question that a leader can ask is, “What if … ?” Possibly the worst thing a leader can say is, “I know this is a dumb question ... ”

Fairness means dealing with others consistently and justly. A leader must check all the facts and hear everyone out before passing judgment. He or she must avoid leaping to conclusions based on incomplete evidence. When people feel they that are being treated fairly, they reward a leader with loyalty and dedication.

Assertiveness is not the same as aggressiveness. Rather, it is the ability to clearly state what one expects so that there will be no misunderstandings. A leader must be assertive to get the desired results. Along with assertiveness comes the responsibility to clearly understand what followers expect from their leader.

Many leaders have difficulty striking the right amount of assertiveness, according to a study in the February 2007 issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, published by the APA (American Psychological Association). It seems that being underassertive or overassertive may be the most common weakness among aspiring leaders.

A sense of humor is vital to relieve tension and boredom, as well as to defuse hostility. Effective leaders know how to use humor to energize followers. Humor is a form of power that provides some control over the work environment. And simply put, humor fosters good camaraderie.

Intrinsic traits such as intelligence, good looks, height and so on are not necessary to become a leader. Anyone can cultivate these leadership qualities.


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Anonymous said...

To free the country from violence, tyranny, etc..yeah right. He later will sell the country to the US, cause he is the US's puppet after all. Probably the oil resources of our country will be controlled by the US if he becomes the PM.

Anonymous said...

I think if Pak Lah give Anwar to become a PM on 2010, maybe he will forget his agenda in PKR because his vision is only to become a Prime Minister only.. Don't forget that...

Anonymous said...

Anwar will ruin us all!

Anonymous said...

Anwar will ruin us all!

Quantum Metal Consultant said...

Politik Malaysia yang kembali 'perkauman' secaa terbuka selepas Mahathir, sukar lagi dicantumkan secara harmonis melalui pemimpin atau parti.

Pergeseran dan isu silih berganti, penyelewengan juga bertukar ganti kepada siapa yang berkuasa pada masa itu, tamak haloba sudah sukar dibendung, perlumbaan untuk kaya terjadi kepada semua kaum, yang kaya makin kaya, yang miskin akan merompak untuk kaya. Jenayah dan keselamatan sukar diramalkan.

Dalam lain perkataan rakyat terpaksa menjaga survival diri sendiri tanpa banyak kebergantungan kepada kerajaan yang sudah semakin tidak efisien. Rusuhan kaum terbesar di jangka akan berlaku sekali lagi untuk semua rakyat sedar dan hargai erti perpaduan sebenar.

Anwar mungkin hanya jadi penyelamat di peringat awal jika berjaya memanjat Putrajaya, tetapi beberapa bulan berikutnya mereka kembali asal menjadi pemimpin perompak rakyat, penjual negara dan pembuka pintu kepada kemasukan kapitalis..

Quantum Metal Consultant said...

Politik Malaysia yang kembali 'perkauman' secaa terbuka selepas Mahathir, sukar lagi dicantumkan secara harmonis melalui pemimpin atau parti.

Pergeseran dan isu silih berganti, penyelewengan juga bertukar ganti kepada siapa yang berkuasa pada masa itu, tamak haloba sudah sukar dibendung, perlumbaan untuk kaya terjadi kepada semua kaum, yang kaya makin kaya, yang miskin akan merompak untuk kaya. Jenayah dan keselamatan sukar diramalkan.

Dalam lain perkataan rakyat terpaksa menjaga survival diri sendiri tanpa banyak kebergantungan kepada kerajaan yang sudah semakin tidak efisien. Rusuhan kaum terbesar di jangka akan berlaku sekali lagi untuk semua rakyat sedar dan hargai erti perpaduan sebenar.

Anwar mungkin hanya jadi penyelamat di peringat awal jika berjaya memanjat Putrajaya, tetapi beberapa bulan berikutnya mereka kembali asal menjadi pemimpin perompak rakyat, penjual negara dan pembuka pintu kepada kemasukan kapitalis..

Anonymous said...

you wrote... "Can Anwar save us all? Is he the one?"

I don't whether to laugh or to cry... to laugh at the naivety or to cry over the ignorance.

all I can say is that if he's the one... then I must be the King of Siam.

I'd reckon, 99% of Muslims in Malaysia are Muslims because their identity card said so... maybe there should be fatwa to have all Malaysian Muslims be buried with the identity cards so as to prove that they are Muslims in the hereafter... because that is the extent of their knowledge of their own religion... nothing more nothing less.

just to prove my point... here are some posers:

a) can an unrepentant homosexual consider himself to be a Muslim in the eyes of the Al-Mighty?

b) can a Muslim/Muslimah sympathize/emphatize with an unrepentant homosexual?

c) if your God is so great, do you think He could create a rock so heavy that He Himself could not lift it?

answers on a postcard... and mail it to the PKR headquarters.

theboldanon.

DR SURESH said...

Hi Nuraina g'day to you,

Sorry to deviate from the topic above.As a regular reader of your postings,I would like to see your comments on the 2 latest uproars in the country, ie the racist slur bye a particular teacher against her indian students and the UITM debacle.

Regards.

Anonymous said...

Nope!

Macam nabi pulak

MM

Anonymous said...

I AM CONFIDENT HE IS THE ONE INSHA'ALLAH..
OUR ULAMA HAVE SAID THAT, WHEN TYRANNY AND INJUSTICE IN ANY SOCIETY REACHES ITS PEAK, IT IS A SIGN THAT A NEW DAWN IS DRAWING CLOSER..

ALLAHUAKHBAR !!

Unknown said...

"Can Anwar save us all? Is he the one?"

the ironic part is anwar gonna die if the PP people don't save/elect him.

is he the one??? we have no choice. we gotta believe he is THE ONE.

haven't you just watched the matrix trilogy lately in TV2?

we gotta believe it before it can really happen.

ya, malaysia politic these days is more dramatic and mind boggling than any movies.

Anonymous said...

ok ! try him out for one term !
GODBLESS him !

Nostradamus said...

Permatang Pauh Voters decide for Nation? - Appeal by Nostradamus.
Pengundi Permatang Pauh tentukan untuk Negara? – Rayuan oleh Nostradamus.

1. Voters of Permatang Pauh will vote come 26 August 2008. Who to vote for and What to vote for? (Man of Honour)
Pengundi-pengundi Permatang Pauh akan undi menjelang 26 Ogos 2008. Mengundi Siapa and mengundi untuk Apa? (Man of Honour)

2. 50 Questions to test your Conscience at www.patek1472.wordpress.com
50 Soalan untuk menguji Suara Hati anda di www.patek1472.wordpress.com

Anonymous said...

I hope Anwar makes it. He deserves it anyway. If one man in modern Malaysia who is so determined, persistent and persuasive to achieve his goal, it could be none other Anwar Ibrahim.

in the present testing times, I do not see anyone else who could bring Malaysians together. Like it or not this man has the charm and wisdom.

WE JUST NEED TO TRUST HIM.

suresh

Anonymous said...

Anyone that will take us Away from the Current Leader who is INFLICTED by SLOTH AND TOPOR!!

The Hindrance that Buddha warned against....


DalaiLlama

Anonymous said...

YES, ANWAR IS THE ONE, PLEASE DONATE
https://www.fundraisingbynet.net/fbn/contributeINTL.asp?guidRegistration=5E575B5E

KG

Anonymous said...

I wish to hear This oath ,from mouth of UMNO leaderships, especially from Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Najib Tun Razak.

Herewith, by the name of God the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful I sweared and swears like following:

A'uzubilahiminasyaitanirrajim. Bismillahirrahman nirrahim. Wallahi…Wabillahi…Wata'alahi. I , Abdullah Ahmad Badawi,Perdana Menteri malaysia /saya Najib Razak Timbalan Perdana Menteri malaysia,sweared, I have never involved with Rasuah and Maksiat, If i am telling a lie, for this confession, hence I tell a lie to God and I ready to receive azab, damns and curse than finite God to doom. Wallahualam.

- Makangaji.

Unknown said...

What happened to the SUDDEN threat to his life??

He's seen gallivanting all over Malaysia without fear at all.

Free to throw accusations at everyone who is an obstacle to his PM's dream.

Anonymous said...

yes,yes,YES ! i saw him on tele, he is in' BLUE' baju melayu, good choice of color ! .....but nothing more than that, no astro lah...anyone ,please report something else, ok ,thanks !

Anonymous said...

omong says,
What happened to the SUDDEN threat to his life??

Its not sudden nor Coincidence with Saiful's Police report.

He just panicked!!! and need quite time in the turkish embassy to think of excuses...

hahaha. still he has no proof of that death threat.

coz there was none.


MM

Anonymous said...

ANWAR, ARE YOU A VISIONARY LEADER???

DSAI, Are you someone with a vision burning inside that seeks to manifest? Do you see yourself as a visionary?

Visionary leaders are the builders of a new dawn, working with imagination, insight, and boldness. They present a challenge that calls forth the best in people and brings them together around a shared sense of purpose. They work with the power of intentionality and alignment with a higher purpose. Their eyes are on the horizon, not just on the near at hand. They are social innovators and change agents, seeing the big picture and thinking strategically.

What is it that makes a visionary become a visionary leader? A visionary may dream wonderful visions of the future and articulate them with great inspiration. A visionary is good with words. But a visionary leader is good with actions as well as words, and so can bring his vision into being in the world, thus transforming it in some way. More than words are needed for a vision to take form in today’s world. It requires leadership and heartfelt commitment.

There is a profound interconnectedness between the leader and the whole, and true visionary leaders serve the good of the whole. They recognize that there is some truth on both sides of most polarized issues in our society today. They search for solutions that transcend the usual adversarial approaches and address the causal level of problems. They find a higher synthesis of the best of both sides of an issue and address the systemic root causes of problems to create real breakthroughs.

A visionary leader is effective in manifesting his or her vision because he creates specific, achievable goals, initiates action and enlists the participation of others.

What are the qualities and abilities of true visionary leaders? What is the mysterious inner process within leaders that enables them to work their magic and radiate the charisma that mobilizes others for a higher purpose?

Visionary leadership is based on a balanced expression of the spiritual, mental, emotional and physical dimensions. It requires core values, clear vision, empowering relationships, and innovative action. When one or more of these dimensions are missing, leadership cannot manifest a vision.


A COMMITMENT TO CORE SPIRITUAL VALUES

A commitment to values is an outstanding characteristic of all visionary leaders. They embody a sense of personal integrity, and radiate a sense of energy, vitality and will. Will is standing in a spiritual state of being. Will is a spiritual attribute, which allows a leader to stand for something.

More self-aware and reflective than others, visionary leaders follow an inner sense of direction, and lead from the inside out, as exemplified by Mahatma Gandhi. He said, “I must first be the change I want to see in my world.” He was a prime example of a commitment to values, as he freed India by appealing to the moral conscience of Britain and using non-violent action to reveal the immorality of the British Empire.

Rather than being corrupted by power, visionary leaders are elevated by power and exercise moral leadership. Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, embodies this type of moral leadership, as does Marion Wright Edelman, founder of the Children’s Defense Fund, who has a deep commitment to children’s welfare.


A CLEAR, INSPIRATIONAL VISION

Visionaries who are successful at manifesting their visions base their leadership on an inspirational, positive picture of the future, as well as a clear sense of direction as to how to get there. Vision is a field that brings energy into form. Effective leaders broadcast a coherent message by themselves embodying their vision, as author Margaret Wheatley notes. They keep communicating the vision to create a strong field which then brings their vision into physical reality. Nelson Mandela clearly held a positive vision of a racially harmonious South Africa during his 28 years in jail and helped bring it into reality peacefully, to the amazement of the world.

The best visionary leaders move energy to a higher level by offering a clear vision of what is possible. They inspire people to be better than they already are and help them identify with what Lincoln called “the angels of their better nature”. This was the power of Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech. The creative power of lighted, inspired words can sound a certain inner note that people recognize and respond to. This then creates dramatic social change. Like King, visionary leaders have the ability to sense the deeper spiritual needs of followers and link their current demands to these deeper, often unspoken, need for purpose and meaning.

Visionary leaders often have the ability to see higher spiritual forces at work behind the scenes of events, and they align with the vision of these redemptive forces. Both George Washington and Winston Churchill spoke about the help they received from a “guiding hand”. Churchill said, “...we have a guardian because we serve a great cause, and we shall have that guardian as long as we serve that cause faithfully”.

Sojourner Truth, a former slave, was guided by an inner spiritual experience to preach the emancipation of slaves and women’s rights all over the country during the Civil War. President Anwar Sadat of Egypt had a vision of Mohammed who told him to create peace in the Middle East. This vision is the hidden story behind the Camp David Peace Treaty between Arabs and Israelis.

Visionary leaders transmit energy to people, giving them a new sense of hope and confidence in achieving the vision. Television host Oprah Winfrey helps her guests believe in themselves and work to create a better world.

Visionary leaders often enunciate a vision based on principles that become guideposts for humanity. They intuitively draw on the ageless wisdom and present it in a new synthesis to meet the particular need of the times. In the Brundtland Report, Gro Brundtland, former Prime Minister of Norway, helped synthesize the principles of sustainable development that are needed to protect our environment for future generations.


RESPECTFUL, EMPOWERING RELATIONSHIPS

Good relationships are the heart of effective visionary leaders. They embody a deeply caring approach to people, seeing them as their greatest asset. Aaron Feuerstein, CEO of Malden Mills, kept all his employees on the payroll when a fire destroyed 75% of his factories. His employees were so grateful they helped him rebuild and within a year the company was more profitable than ever.

In contrast to the old style of leadership which tells people what to do, and pushes or dominates them, visionary leaders embody a receptive, as well as a dynamic energy. They know how to listen and learn from other points of view and have fine tuned their communications skills. Rita Bailey, Director of Southwest Airline’s University for People, says the secret of the airline’s amazing financial success is living by the golden rule: treating employees as family, with warmth and respect. Employees then treat customers the same way.

Visionary leaders promote a partnership approach and create a shared sense of vision and meaning with others. They exhibit a greater respect for others and carefully develop team spirit and team learning, Building this sense of shared vision and partnership has also been key to the effectiveness of feminist Gloria Steinem.

The most effective visionary leaders are responsive to the real needs of people and they develop participative strategies to include people in designing their own futures. This approach has been very successful for Robert Haas, the CEO of Levi Strauss. Rather than confront or avoid conflict, the new leaders have learned how to transform conflict into usable energy. They work to unite, rather than divide people.


INNOVATIVE, COURAGEOUS ACTION

Visionary leaders are especially noted for transforming old mental maps or paradigms, and creating strategies that are “outside the box” of conventional thought. They embody a balance of right brain (rational) and left brain (intuitive) functions. Their thinking is broad and systemic, seeing the big picture, the whole system, and “the pattern that connects.” They then create innovative strategies for actualizing their vision.

CNN founder Ted Turner transformed television news by boldly creating an around-the-clock international news network.

Visionary leaders anticipate change and are proactive, rather than reactive to events. Their focus is on opportunities, not on problems. They emphasize win/win, rather than adversarial win/lose approaches.

When we see a truly visionary leader accomplishing great things, he is drawing on the resources of their soul and its remarkable capabilities. Each of us can access our inner resources to become a more effective leader in our own field. First we must be willing to take initiative and stand for something we believe in passionately. We must be ready to take the heat. Many of us avoid the responsibility of leadership primarily because we are too sensitive to criticism. But when we know who we truly are and we live from an inner core of values, criticism can be filtered to take in only what is true and helpful to our growth.

Today, as we enter the Third Millennium, thousands of new visionary leaders are emerging in all fields of human endeavor around the world, leading a quiet revolution energized by power of the soul. By appreciating and supporting those who lead from their core spiritual values, we strengthen those leadership qualities in ourselves.


VISIONARY LEADERSHIP
Corinne McLaughlin

Anonymous said...

In many ways, even the oppressed Americans underwent what we, the rakyat are going through in these challenging times .....

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The I Have a Dream Speech
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In 1950's America, the equality of man envisioned by the Declaration of Independence was far from a reality. People of color — blacks, Hispanics, Asians — were discriminated against in many ways, both overt and covert. The 1950's were a turbulent time in America, when racial barriers began to come down due to Supreme Court decisions, like Brown v. Board of Education; and due to an increase in the activism of blacks, fighting for equal rights.

Martin Luther King, Jr., a Baptist minister, was a driving force in the push for racial equality in the 1950's and the 1960's. In 1963, King and his staff focused on Birmingham, Alabama. They marched and protested non-violently, raising the ire of local officials who sicced water cannon and police dogs on the marchers, whose ranks included teenagers and children. The bad publicity and break-down of business forced the white leaders of Birmingham to concede to some anti-segregation demands.

Thrust into the national spotlight in Birmingham, where he was arrested and jailed, King organized a massive march on Washington, DC, on August 28, 1963. On the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, he evoked the name of Lincoln in his "I Have a Dream" speech, which is credited with mobilizing supporters of desegregation and prompted the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The next year, King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

The following is the exact text of the spoken speech, transcribed from recordings.


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I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.


Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. So we have come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this check — a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quick sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.

We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. They have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.

As we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied, as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating "For Whites Only". We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.

Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair.

I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."

And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!

Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California!

But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

Anonymous said...

i agree with the anonymous one saying about Malay College boys and the ex-Class of 64...damn, this guys said he want to save the nations from bla..blaa..blaaa.., hey dude..saves your ass first before you save other coz without it, you are nothing!!

Anonymous said...

Looks like we have to keep promoting awareness of what Good Governance is all about until it becomes a reality in our beloved Malaysia.

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Universal principles of good governance and rule of law .....

Can we learn from the Iraqi experience???


A global consensus recognizing that good governance is vital for economic development and poverty alleviation has emerged. Good governance provides an enabling environment for general economic development, human resources development, ensuring the prevention and resolution of conflict. All these elements are essential to build a firm common ground for Iraqi national reconciliation. Good governance, as we know, is a pillar of democracy. Finding a consensus on a definition of the concept of good government has not been easy. Does it apply to just sound administration and management or does it also refer to the political domain and political leadership? Is it a universal principle or does it vary according to context? This vagueness raises the risks associated with applying a concept, which may not be rooted in the particular socio-cultural and political environment of Iraq. It is generally accepted that in the context of a political and constitutional environment that upholds human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law, good governance is the transparent and accountable management of human, natural, economic and financial resources for the purpose of equitable and sustainable development. Citizens expect the government to respond to their needs through a systematic process of accountability, transparency, and checks and balances. Good governance ensures that political, social, and economic priorities reflect broad consensus, that decision-makers represent the voices of the poorest and the most vulnerable in allocating development resources, and that the rights of the people are respected. It entails clear decision-making procedures at the level of public authorities, transparent and accountable institutions, the primacy of law in the management and distribution of resources and capacity building for elaborating and implementing measures aimed in particular at preventing and combating corruption. Essentials of Good Governance, The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) defines good governance as “the responsible exercise of political, economic and administrative authority in the management of a country’s affairs at all levels”. Good governance, among other things, is participatory, transparent, accountable, effective, equitable, and fair. It promotes the rule of law. Participation ensures an open, inclusive, participatory political system. It involves citizens in the decision-making process and in implementing public projects orother government activity. Participation goes beyond mere consultation and implies the existence of opportunities to contribute through gainful employment; opportunities to move in the mainstream of political, economic, and cultural processes and the eradication of the marginalization of groups and discrimination, poverty, and deprivation; and freedom from vulnerability through a guaranteed system of social safety nets and social security systems. To this end, good governance embraces the concept of devolution of power to local authorities and communities. The right of citizens to participate in the conduct of public affairs is more directly exercised at local levels. The existence of local authorities that are given real responsibilities can provide an administrative system that is both effective and close to the citizen. Transparency involves establishing appropriate lines or forms of accountability between the government and the public, which should include access to information through suchmeasures as freedom of information legislation, open decision-making, and rules ofsubstantive and procedural fairness. The rule of law assumes the existence of inalienable rights and liberties for every citizen, which governments should not touch or violate. To some extent the essence of the rule of law lies in its juxtaposition to “the rule of men or women”. This aphorism seeks to state the following basic principles: that all state power ought to be exercised under the authority of law; and rules of law should govern the election and appointment of those who make and execute policy, as well as the manner in which such policies are made and executed to ensure rationality and fairness in the decision-making process. In addition, good governance must assure the equal participation of women with men in all processes of governance. Only complete equality between men and women in all legal, political, and social arrangements can create the proper conditions for human freedom and good governance. Establishment and protection of good governance whatever the case, it is agreed that good governance is above all a domestic issue and inadequate domestic policies have played a role in widening the gap between rich and poor and achieving good governance is a process which must come from within andsteps must be taken to support and recognize genuine initiatives to attain it. Transparency, good governance and development are closely linked and together they become a vehicle to improve the human condition. The promotion of good governance requires a determined campaign against corruption, which is one of the most concrete expressions of misadministration. The quality of the administration of a country’s resources is an essential factor that explains its development performances — good or bad. Good governance is the true test of democracy. A government, which administers scarce resources in accordance with the real needs of the population, must be fundamentally democratic.

The political, judicial and intellectual elite must be benchmark and models of integrity. The political leadership must be genuinely determined to attack the problem of corruption and must demonstrate that determination. Good governance like democracy must not be allowed to become just another slogan - a false front to placate the providers of funds. Experience shows that it is unrealistic to hope to change things at the instigation of civil society alone. The essential first step is to influence public opinion and make decision-makers and the public at large aware of the devastating effects of misadministration. Underemployment, inadequate or sporadic employment and low wages continue to contribute to a high level of poverty in Iraq which in turn feed the militias and terrorists groups. We have to extricate ourselves from our backwardness by building a strong and democratic Iraq. Debates on national issues are healthy and should continue even after the national reconciliation. Different point of views should be respected. After all, “in a democracy dissent is an act of faith, like medicine, the taste of its value is not in its taste, but in its effects.”


Conclusion

The success of efforts to improve governance, the respect of human rights and the rule of the law throughout Iraq will depend on the development and strengthening of institutions that underpin good governance, democracy and the rule of law. With respect to the current political process, these efforts cannot succeed unless economic conditions in Iraq improve and develop to a level where Iraq is able to develop and sustain the institutions necessary to promote governance, the protection of human rights and the rule of law. Good governance cannot flourish along side grinding poverty and weak state institutions.


Dr. Widad Al-Ali,
Executive Director
Al-Yaqeen Centre for Training, Studies and Development