Thank you very much for this opportunity to speak to the audience here. Malaysia has gone through a very furious transition. I was the leader for 22 years of the government party which ruled Malaysia for 61 years.

Now I am now leading the opposition and the opposition has now become the government. So I am not changing my stand first I say that I still see have the same old ideas about the authoritarian rule which I might been accused of being dictator during my time. But I beg to differ I was not a dictator but that doesn’t make anybody change their minds. Whenever they mention my name they always described me as a dictator and today a dictator is going to talk about democracy. But I don’t know whether I’m qualified or not. But I will try.

In the first place of course democracy is not an Asian invention it came from the west. Again I suppose from Greece but now the whole world has been told that you have to become democratic else has seen rapid changes taking place in many places.

And as a result of trying to be democratic they have met worst fate then when they were under authoritarian rule. So does that mean that authoritarian rule is best. Well of course we deny that because we think that the only system of government that should be practised by all countries must be the democratic system. But democracy is not something easy to handle. The basic rules of course is that the majority of the people have a right to choose a government to govern their country. But even in a democracy there
can be autocrat to rule rather tightly as I have been accused of. But if you want to make government work you have to have certain disciplines.

Asian minds are not accustomed to the idea that country can be ruled by the people. We have always had monarchs with absolute power and we have survived in a way of course. There were a lot of criticism again the monarchies rule they tend to be rather cruel to their own people in order to sustain themselves.

But now Asian are told that they should have democracy. And democracy mean not having any monarch or any dictator. It is people who will choose their leaders would lead the country. The assumption of course is that the majority of the people must know what is good for themselves.

Unfortunately they are distracted by other things like money for example. If they’re given money some of them would vote for whoever gives money whether he is a democrat or he is an authoritarian ruler. So sometimes or rather quite often it happens that democratically elected ruler can behave like a dictator and that’s what happened to Malaysia since 2013 when the Prime Minister who has been ousted took over. He introduced into democracy a new slogan and that slogan is called Cash is King.

In other words he’s saying that it is legitimate and proper to bribe in order to do to get anything done. But prime ministers are not paid very well. I think if you are in the public sector doing business you’re better paid. But for Prime Minister who is running whole country the pay is very very low. So if you want to bribe and you don’t have money he had to think of some ways to get money. And the previous Prime Minister decided that he would steal the money because he hasn’t got enough money to give bribes which will change the minds of people.

That show that even if we elect a ruler doesn’t mean that he will behave himself. There are mechanism for removing ruler who is not fair who is cruel and all that but sometimes the whole system can be can be converted to the dictators ideas and they will carry out his instruction because they know that they will be very well paid for that. So even in a democracy there can be dictators. And we find that when working with the democratic government too many people have got ideas which they think should be carried out out by the government and because they had different ideas from the government we have opposition parties.

Opposition parties normally can only criticise the government but seldom they can overthrow the government or bring government down. Unless of course it is a two party system.But two party is not very democratic. It means some people will have to forget their own ideas their own ideals in order to be a part of the other party the opposition. Only if there is a united opposition can democracy, can there be election to form the government.But it is not easy to have just two parties because many people would believe that they they are the right people to form the government.

And so when you see the regime change taking place in the Arab countries they, every one of those people who campaign, who demonstrated in order to overthrow the authoritarian government every one of them felt that they were the ones who should be running the government. But they are not united they come from various parties and the only reason why they think the government should be brought down is because they think they would be able to rule after the government is overthrown. But there are so many people who wants to be the government and of course immediately after the overthrow of authoritarian ruler there be will quarrel among the people who overthrew him.

Because you belong to different parties with different ideas. The end result may be Civil War at least tension and instability in the country. And they see in some countries they lost the ability to run the country. They become Failed Nations because they kept on quarrelling quarrelling with each other and not getting any benefit at all from democracy.

So we cant claim democracy as if one size shoes which fix all because each country each people have their own cultures and some of their cultures are so strong that it is difficult for them to change from having a dictator of an absolute monarch and replacing him with someone you elect merely by making a tick on the piece of paper. This is not common with them and therefore this idea can not be easily practise in many many countries in Asia and the Middle East. So we need to accept that democracy is not a perfect system it has his flaws but to make it work the mindset and the value system of the people must be capable of accepting rule by a person who is elected every 5 years. Sometimes of course it doesn’t last 5 years or something may go on to rule the country for 5 terms.

But all these are still seen quite democratic but some will fail because of the quarrells that take place all the time with the people snapping at the government and the government spending time and money in order to govern the country. He will not be able to govern in the country because he has to face a lot of disruptions coming from the very people who elected him.

So in Asia today we find not too many democracies. India is supposed to be the biggest democracy and but the others are quite totalitarian such as kingdom and countries of central Asia. In the east of course although leaders may be elected the ability to rule is not so good because of the constant sniping at the ruler whoever he may be. So the future of democracy in in Asia I think well will be something that will will not be achieve overnight as happens with some of the Middle Eastern countries. They change over night and today we see more problems than it was before they had democracy. You see civil war you see a lot of fighting and you’ll see a lot of disruption of the environment and they are unable to rule well or to get others to come and invest in their countries.

So I hope that people will understand that it takes time for people to become democratic. The value system must be suitable for democracy before democracy it self can be used as a method of running a country.

Thank you very much.

Madam President,
1. I would like to join others in congratulating you on your election as the President of the Seventy-Third (73rd) Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
2. I am confident with your wisdom and vast experience; this session will achieve the objectives of the theme for this session. I assure you of Malaysia’s fullest support and cooperation towards achieving these noble goals.
3. Allow me to also pay tribute to your predecessor, His Excellency Miroslav Lajcak, for his dedication and stewardship in successfully completing the work of the 72nd Session of the General Assembly.
4. I commend the Secretary-General and the United Nations staff for their tireless efforts in steering and managing UN activities globally.
5. In particular, I pay tribute to the late Kofi Annan, the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1997 – 2006, who sadly passed away in August this year. Malaysia had a positively strong and active engagement with the UN during his tenure.
Madam President,
6. The theme of this 73rd Session of General Assembly, “Making the United Nations Relevant to All People: Global Leadership and Shared Responsibilities for Peaceful, Equitable and Sustainable Societies” remains true to the aspiration of our founding fathers. The theme is most relevant and timely. It is especially pertinent in the context of the new Malaysia. The new Government of Malaysia, recently empowered with a strong mandate from its people, is committed to ensure that every Malaysian has an equitable share in the prosperity and wealth of the nation.
7. A new Malaysia emerged after the 14th General Election in May this year. Malaysians decided to change their government, which had been in power for 61 years, i.e., since independence. We did this because the immediate past Government indulged in the politics of hatred, of racial and religious bigotry, as well as widespread corruption. The process of change was achieved democratically, without violence or loss of lives.
8. Malaysians want a new Malaysia that upholds the principles of fairness, good governance, integrity and the rule of law. They want a Malaysia that is a friend to all and enemy of none. A Malaysia that remains neutral and non-aligned. A Malaysia that detests and abhors wars and violence. They also want a Malaysia that will speak its mind on what is right and wrong, without fear or favour. A new Malaysia that believes in co-operation based on mutual respect, for mutual gain. The new Malaysia that offers a partnership based on our philosophy of ‘prosper-thy-neighbour’. We believe in the goodness of cooperation, that a prosperous and stable neighbour would contribute to our own prosperity and stability.
9. The new Malaysia will firmly espouse the principles promoted by the UN in our international engagements. These include the principles of truth, human rights, the rule of law, justice, fairness, responsibility and accountability, as well as sustainability. It is within this context that the new government of Malaysia has pledged to ratify all remaining core UN instruments related to the protection of human rights. It will not be easy for us because Malaysia is multi-ethnic, multireligious, multicultural and multilingual. We will accord space and time for all to deliberate and to decide freely based on democracy.Madam President,10. When I last spoke here in 2003, I lamented how the world had lost its way. I bemoaned the fact that small countries continued to be at the mercy of the powerful. I argued the need for the developing world to push for reform, to enhance capacity building and diversify the economy. We need to maintain control of our destiny.
11. But today, 15 years later the world has not changed much. If at all the world is far worse than 15 years ago. Today the world is in a state of turmoil
economically, socially and politically.
12. There is a trade war going on between the two most powerful economies. And the rest of the world feel the pain.
13. Socially new values undermine the stability of nations and their people. Freedom has led to the negation of the concept of marriage and families, of moral codes, of respect etc.
14. But the worse turmoil is in the political arena. We are seeing acts of terror everywhere. People are tying bombs to their bodies and blowing themselves up in crowded places. Trucks are driven into holiday crowds. Wars are fought and people beheaded with short knives. Acts of brutality are broadcast to the world live. Masses of people risk their lives to migrate only to be denied asylum, sleeping in the open and freezing to death. Thousands starve and tens of thousands die in epidemics of cholera.
15. No one, no country is safe. Security checks inconvenience travellers. No liquids on planes. The slightest suspicion leads to detention and unpleasant questioning.
16. To fight the “terrorists” all kinds of security measures, all kinds of gadgets and equipment are deployed. Big brother is watching. But the acts of terror continues.
17. Malaysia fought the bandits and terrorists at independence and defeated them. We did use the military. But alongside and more importantly we campaigned to win the hearts of minds of these people.
18. This present war against the terrorist will not end until the root causes are found and removed and hearts and minds are won.
19. What are the root causes? In 1948, Palestinian land was seized to form the state of Israel. The Palestinians were massacred and forced to leave their land. Their houses and farms were seized.
20. They tried to fight a conventional war with help from sympathetic neighbours. The friends of Israel ensured this attempt failed. More Palestinian land was seized. And Israeli settlements were built on more and more Palestinian land and the Palestinians are denied access to these settlements built on their land.
21. The Palestinians initially tried to fight with catapults and stones. They were shot with live bullets and arrested. Thousands are incarcerated.
22. Frustrated and angry, unable to fight a conventional war, the Palestinians resort to what we call terrorism.
23. The world does not care even when Israel breaks international laws, seizing ships carrying medicine, food and building materials in international waters. The Palestinians fired ineffective rockets which hurt no one. Massive retaliations were mounted by Israel, rocketing and bombing hospitals, schools and other buildings, killing innocent civilians including school children and hospital patients. And more.
24. The world rewards Israel, deliberately provoking Palestine by recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
25. It is the anger and frustration of the Palestinians and their sympathisers that cause them to resort to what we call terrorism. But it is important to acknowledge that any act which terrify people also constitute terrorism. And states dropping bombs or launching rockets which maim and kill innocent people also terrify people. These are also acts of terrorism.
26. Malaysia hates terrorism. We will fight them. But we believe that the only way to fight terrorism is to remove the cause. Let the Palestinians return to reclaim their land. Let there be a state of Palestine. Let there be justice and the rule of law. Warring against them will not stop terrorism. Nor will out-terrorising them succeed.
27. We need to remind ourselves that the United Nations Organisation, like the League of Nations before, was conceived for the noble purpose of ending wars between nations.

28. Wars are about killing people. Modern wars are about mass killings and total destruction countrywide. Civilised nations claim they abhor killing for any reason. When a man kills, he commits the crime of murder. And the punishment for murder may be death.
29. But wars, we all know encourage and legitimise killing. Indeed the killings are regarded as noble, and the
killers are hailed as heroes. They get medals stuck to their chest and statues erected in their honour, have their names mentioned in history books.
30. There is something wrong with our way of thinking, with our value system. Kill one man, it is murder, kill a million and you become a hero. And so we still believe that conflict between nations can be resolved with war.
31. And because we still do, we must prepare for war. The old adage says “to have peace, prepare for war”. And we are forever preparing for war, inventing more and more destructive weapons. We now have nuclear bombs, capable of destroying whole cities. But now we know that the radiation emanating from the explosion will affect even the country using the bomb. A nuclear war would destroy the world.
32. This fear has caused the countries of Europe and North America to maintain peace for over 70 years. But that is not for other countries. Wars in these other countries can help live test the new weapons being invented.
33. And so they sell them to warring countries. We see their arms in wars fought between smaller countries. These are not world wars but they are no less destructive. Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed, whole countries devastated and nations bankrupted because of these fantastic new weapons.
34. But these wars give handsome dividends to the arms manufacturers and traders. The arms business is now the biggest business in the world. They profit shamelessly from the deaths and destructions they cause. Indeed, so-called peace-loving countries often promote this shameful business.
35. Today’s weapons cost millions. Fighter jets cost about 100 million dollars. And maintaining them cost tens of millions. But the poor countries are persuaded to buy them even if they cannot afford. They are told their neighbours or their enemies have them. It is imperative that they too have them.
36. So, while their people starve and suffer from all kinds of deprivations, a huge percentage of their budget is allocated to the purchase of arms. That their buyers may never have to use them bothers the purveyors not at all.
Madam President,
37. In Myanmar, Muslims in Rakhine state are being murdered, their homes torched and a million refugees had been forced to flee, to drown in the high seas, to live in makeshift huts, without water or food, without the most primitive sanitation. Yet the authorities of Myanmar including a Nobel Peace Laureate deny that this is happening. I believe in non-interference in the internal affairs of nations. But does the world watch massacres being carried out and do nothing? Nations are independent. But does this mean they have a right to massacre their own people, because they are independent?
Madam President,
38. On the other hand, in terms of trade, nations are no longer independent. Free trade means no protection by small countries of their infant industries. They must abandon tariff restrictions and open their countries to invasion by products of the rich and the powerful. Yet the simple products of the poor are subjected to clever barriers so that they cannot penetrate the market of the rich. Malaysian palm oil is labelled as dangerous to health and the estates are destroying the habitat of animals. Food products of the rich declare that they are palm oil free. Now palm diesel are condemned because they are decimating virgin jungles. These caring people forget that their boycott is depriving hundreds of thousands of people from jobs and a decent life.
39. We in Malaysia care for the environment. Some 48% of our country remains virgin jungle. Can our detractors claim the same for their own countries?
Madam President,
40. Malaysia is committed to sustainable development. We have taken steps, for example in improving production methods to ensure that our palm oil production is sustainable. By December 2019, the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) standard will become mandatory. This will ensure that every drop of palm oil produced in Malaysia will be certified sustainable by 2020.
Madam President,
41. All around the world, we observe a dangerous trend to inward-looking nationalism, of governments pandering to populism, retreating from international collaborations and shutting their borders to free movements of people, goods and services even as they talk of a borderless world, of free trade. While globalisation has indeed brought us some benefits, the impacts have proven to be threatening to the independence of small nations. We cannot even talk or move around without having our voices and movement recorded and often used against us. Data on everyone is captured and traded by powerful nations and their corporations.
42. Malaysia lauds the UN in its endeavours to end poverty, protect our planet and try to ensure everyone enjoys peace and prosperity. But I would like to refer to the need for reform in the organisation. Five countries on the basis of their victories 70 over years ago cannot claim to have a right to hold the world to ransom forever. They cannot take the moral high ground, preaching democracy and regime change in the countries of the world when they deny democracy in this organisation.
43. I had suggested that the veto should not be by just one permanent member but by at least two powers backed by three non-permanent members of the Security Council. The General Assembly should then back the decision with a simple majority. I will not say more.
44. I must admit that the world without the UN would be disastrous. We need the UN, we need to sustain it with sufficient funds. No one should threaten it with financial deprivation.
Madam President
45. After 15 years and at 93, I return to this podium with the heavy task of bringing the voice and hope of the new Malaysia to the world stage. The people of Malaysia, proud of their recent democratic achievement, have high hopes that around the world – we will see peace, progress and prosperity. In this we look toward the UN to hear our pleas.

I thank you, Madam President.

Assalamualaikum dan Salam Sejahtera kepada semua rakyat Malaysia.

1. Buat ke sekian kalinya, kita menyambut Hari Kebangsaan. Secara rasminya, ia adalah Hari Kebangsaan kita kali yang ke 61 mengikut kiraan hari pengumuman kemerdekaan pada 31 Ogos 1957 yang dibuat oleh Tunku Abdul Rahman di Stadium Merdeka.

2. Banyak peristiwa yang telah dilalui oleh Persekutuan Tanah Melayu yang kemudiannya Malaysia sejak mencapai kemerdekaan dari jajahan British kepada sebuah Negara berdaulat dan bebas melakar halatujunya mengikut acuannya sendiri.

3. Mulai dari hari itu tugas yang digalas oleh Kerajaan dan juga rakyat ialah mengisi kemerdekaan tersebut.

4. Cabaran yang dihadapi bukan sedikit. Sebagai sebuah negara yang baru merdeka, semuanya terpaksa dilakukan dari awal ataupun “starting from scratch.”

5. Ia bukan sesuatu yang mudah–hampir semua lapangan, pengalaman dan kepakaran dimiliki oleh pentadbir-pentadbir dan cerdik pandai penjajah dan amat sedikit dari kalangan anak bangsa yang mampu mengambil-alih sepenuhnya tanggungjawab itu.

6. Malahan sebahagian dari sistem pentadbiran dan perundangan yang ditinggalkan agak sukar untuk dilaksanakan kerana ianya direka bersesuaian dengan keperluan mereka sebagai penjajah. Penduduk tempatan tidak dapati sesuai untuk diterima sepenuhnya.

7. Namun kita boleh bersyukur jika dibanding dengan negara lain yang terpaksa hadapi keadaan yang lebih teruk kerana penjajah meninggalkan negara-negara itu dalam keadaan kucar-kacir, tanpa pentadbir yang terlatih atau perundangan yang sesuai untuk dilaksana.

8. Negara kita bernasib baik kerana kebijaksanaan kepimpinan Negara pada masa itu yang berjaya mendapatkan kemerdekaan menerusi perundingan dan bukan pemberontakan dan tumpah darah. Dengan ini bekas penjajah dapat membantu di dalam keselamatan, pentadbiran dan perancangan masa depan Negara.

9. Bantuan mereka bukanlah semata-mata kerana perasaan bertanggungjawab. Ia juga kerana keperluan kestabilan dan keamanan supaya pelaburan mereka dalam perladangan dan perlombongan terselamat.

10. Persekutuan Tanah Melayu ataupun Federation of Malaya yang menggantikan Malayan Union memang kaya dari segi hasil buminya. Kekayaan ini menyumbang banyak kepada kemajuan penjajah.

11. Dalam konteks ini, kemerdekaan yang dicapai cuma akan bermakna hanya apabila kita berjaya menghakis genggaman neokolonialisme atau penjajahan ekonomi yang mencemar kemerdekaan kita.

Dengan usaha yang gigih kita berjaya memajukan negara sehingga kita dapat tebus balik kekayaan kita. Satu daripada usaha kita ialah dengan mengadakan ‘ Dawn Raid’ untuk membeli secara halal ladang Guthrie kita. Tetapi kita dituduh merampas atau nationalise.

12. Namun demikian kita masih sanggup menerima pelaburan asing (FDI) termasuk dari negara penjajah juga. Tetapi mereka tidak dibenar campur tangan dalam politik dan pentadbiran negara. Kemerdekaan kita tetap dipelihara.

13. Kemudian Persekutuan Tanah Melayu beralih menjadi Malaysia. Kesanggupan orang Melayu bertolak ansur tidak dapat dipertikai atau ditandingi oleh sesiapa.

14. Walaupun Malaysia mempunyai lebih banyak bangsa dan suku kaum, tetapi ianya tetap aman dan stabil dan membangun dengan pesatnya sehingga dikenali sebagai Harimau Asia. Sesungguhnya kemampuan Malaysia menjadi sebuah negara maju menjelang 2020 tetap ada.

15. Tetapi malangnya pertukaran pemerintahan membawa perubahan dasar dan pendekatan. Sistem demokrasi dan pentadbiran mengikut undang-undang digugur dan diganti dengan cara-cara lain. Hasilnya ialah Wawasan 2020 menjadi impian kosong.

16. Demikianlah kerosakan dan tekanan yang dirasai oleh rakyat sehingga mereka berasa seolah-olah mencapai kemerdekaan sekali lagi apabila PRU 14 menghasilkan perubahan pemerintahan.

17. Ya, rakyat mencapai kejayaan hasil pendirian tegas mereka. Tetapi nikmat tidak datang melayang kerana kemenangan dicapai. Tindakan terhadap penjenayah juga tidak dapat dilakukan dengan serta merta.

18. Seperti kita tidak suka kepada cara-cara pentadbiran dahulu begitu juga kita tidak boleh amalkan cara yang kita benci dahulu. Pentadbiran mengikut undang-undang memerlukan masa untuk dilaksanakan. Tetapi percayalah akhirnya penjenayah akan meraih hukuman yang setimpal dengan kesalahan yang telah mereka lakukan.

19. Sementara itu rakyat dan Kerajaan perlu berganding bahu untuk memulih semula negara. Tugas kita memang berat. Tetapi tidak ada kuasa yang boleh menghalang gandingan rakyat dengan pemerintah.

20. Kita sudah lihat bagaimana negara yang telah kalah dan hancur dalam peperangan dapat memulihkan negara sehingga dalam masa yang singkat dapat kembali maju kerana semangat dan usaha oleh rakyat dan pemerintah.

21. Kita juga mampu. Kita juga boleh pulih semula negara kita Malaysia.

22. Kerajaan boleh tadbir dengan baik, berjimat cermat, berdisiplin dan mengawal nafsu. Ini sedang dilakukan. Walaupun masih sedikit tetapi pencapaian dalam mengurangkan hutang sudah ternampak. Kerosakan jentera pentadbiran telah dapat dipulih semula. InsyaAllah dengan tindakan yang sedang dan akan diambil, negara akan sihat semula.

23. Tetapi rakyat juga perlu memain peranan. Jikalau Kerajaan tidak mampu hulur wang seperti dahulu, sebabnya ialah pembaziran seperti dahulu akan jejaskan proses pemulihan. Lagipun Kerajaan ini tidak mencuri wang rakyat untuk diberi kepada rakyat sebahagian dari hasil pencurian.

24. Cara sebegitu bukanlah cara yang terbaik. Kerajaan ini akan wujudkan lebih banyak peluang pekerjaan dan perniagaan. Dengan cara ini pendapatan yang diperolehi lebih memuaskan. Ia adalah hasil titik peluh sendiri dan sudah tentu ia halal.

25. Untuk ini Kerajaan akan memberi pelajaran dan latihan serta juga biasiswa. Kepakaran pekerja akan ditingkatkan supaya pendapatan akan bertambah.

26. Kita akan naikkan upah mengikut kemampuan. Tetapi yang perlu diingati ialah kenaikan upah tidak bermakna jika kos sara hidup naik bersama.

27. Untuk menentukan kenaikan upah menambah daya beli, produktiviti perlu ditingkatkan melalui cara pengurusan yang lebih cekap, peningkatan kecekapan pekerja, penggunaan mesin, robotik dan otomasi dan tambahan pelaburan oleh majikan. Kerajaan akan beri insentif dan hadiah kepada mereka yang berjaya meningkatkan produktiviti dengan kos yang terendah. Kenaikan harga hasil perusahaan hendaklah dikawal.

28. Tetapi sepanjang masa Kerajaan akan bantu rakyat yang benar miskin ataupun kurang upaya. Mereka akan dibantu lebih baik dari BR1M umpamanya. Memberi 500 Ringgit atau 1200 Ringgit setahun tidak mencukupi untuk hidup sempurna. Ya. BRIM akan dikurangkan beransur-ansur tetapi yang daif dan tidak bekerja ataupun tidak dapat bekerja akan dibantu secara lebih bermakna.

29. Kita rayakan Hari Kebangsaan kali ini dengan perasaan lega dan selesa. Sesungguhnya ini adalah Kemerdekaan kedua bagi kita. Kita sudah bebas daripada belenggu pemerintahan kejam. Hidup kita lebih selesa. Kerajaan PH ini akan jamin keadilan bagi semua rakyat, tanpa mengira kaum atau bangsa atau agama.

30. Sesuai dengan pencapaian dan perasaan yang kita lalui dan kongsi bersama, tema Hari Kebangsaan tahun ini ialah “Sayangi Malaysiaku.”

31. Adalah diharap agar perasaan ini kekal dihati kita semua. Saya yakin, selagi perasaan ini ada bersama kita semua, apa saja perbezaan, percanggahan dan rasa sangsi yang timbul, Malaysia akan tetap utuh dan maju.

32. Selamat Menyambut Hari Kebangsaan. Semoga harapan kita agar Malaysia terus maju, aman dan saksama akan kekal selamanya. Sayangilah Malaysiaku ini. Wabillahi Taufik Walhidayah Wassalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

Terima kasih.

— BERNAMA