KLANG, September 02, 2018 – Professor Tan Sri Dzulkifli Abdul Razak, Founding Convener of Sejahtera Leadership Initiative (SLI) who is the Chairperson of Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) and concurrently the Rector of International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) was the guest of honor at the official openning of Peace Forum and Exhibition on the Soka Gakkai International (SGI) President Ikeda Peace Proposal 2018 held at the Soka Gakkai Malaysia (SGM) Selangor Cultural Centre. He delivered the keynote address and then led an engaging dialogue on ‘Everything You Treasure For a World Free from Nuclear Weapons’ with students, teachers and NGO peace lover activists. It was well attended by 1,200 participants, especially students.

Drawing on a varied cast of characters and research, Professor Tan Sri Dzul shows how our traditional relationship among the people as a passionate connections to leaders everyehere – in politics, business, universities and public services. To be really successful, leaders must look to the networks of relationships that make up real organizations and communities. He integrates observations from a huge number of fields to bring the true essence of Sejahtera leadership – being connected and engaged. He offers both theoretical background and practical examples.

In his keynote address, Professor Tan Sri Dzul goes to envision peace by stating that “We are at our best when we feel a part of something meaningful and important. Thus, in creating the world sustainable peace, Sejahtera values of humility, mutual respect and balanced co-existence are the virtues that guide us to take into account human element when one interacts with one other human beings. They are our feelings for the human essence of others. It is both what we expect others to do to us and what we aim to give to other human beings. These Sejahtera values give the effect of lasting bonding, comforting and reassuring for sustainable peace and compassion.

“With radical shifts and leadership becoming a strange paradox of short-term challenges over long-term strategies, focus on inculcating Sejahtera leadership and values is timely. Leadership is not about titles, positions or organization flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another. In today’s context, formal hierarchies are no longer effective. Organizations and socities with its cross-cutting networks, is agile enough to respond effectively and put peace to work in building a people’s movement. We need to determine a shared direction and inspires people to follow.”

During the engaging dialogue session, Professor Tan Sri Dzul shared the true story of his father, Dato’ Haji Abdul Razak Abdul Hamid (Razak Sensei), an accomplished Malaysian student at the University of Hiroshima in August,1945 who personally witnessed and survived deadly human sufferings of the two nuclear attacks by the United States in Japan at the end of World War 11.

On August 06,1945 when an American B-29 bomber dropped atomic bombs in Hiroshima, utimately killing 140,000 people and then three days later the bombing claimed the lives of 74,000 people in Nagasaki. A collection of slide images of many deformed survivors as a result of the direct effects of bombing radiation were shown as evidences. In addition, at the Peace Exhibition displayed some photography and books of Razak Sensei were for public viewing.

Razak Sensei was instrumental in pioneering the implementation and success of the Look East Policy that was mooted by Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad in 1982. He was then the Coordinator for Education Preparatory Centre with MARA Institute of Technology, now known as UiTM. He was conferred With an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Hiroshima and died on July 18, 2013 at a ripe age of 88 years old. In remembering the great contribution of Sensei Dr. Razak in education, our reknowned educator, Professor Dato’ Dr. Ibrahim Ahmad Bajunid said,

“His Hiroshima experience made him one who teaches with wisdom and with love and extraordinary patience. Beyond being a great teacher, he was a great lecturer, a teacher of teachers, to whom teaching for peace became a natural mission.”

Prepared by :
Dr. Zulkifly Baharom
CEO Sejahtera Leadership Initiative