HESA PUBLIC SPEAKING TEXT “THE GREATER KEDAH” TAHFIZ MUTMAINNAH LILBANAT KHAULAH BINTI MUHAMMAD AMIR RAZLI THAVA When Professor Mokhtar Saidin bought a house in a private enclave in Sungai Petani, Kedah in 2005, he did not know that he was moving close to a site that would mean so much for Malaysia’s history. The place that he uncovered is evidence of a thriving iron export industry dating as far back as the 788 Before Century. And that is how people came to know that Kedah is the oldest and most well-known civilization in South East Asia. Assalamualaikum and a very good morning to the honourable judges, dear contestants, teachers, and members of the floor. Ladies and gentlemen, from the piece of information that I shared with you before, I’m sure that you can guess my topic, right? Today, I would like to share with all of you a topic that is close to our heart, a topic that will let us explore the beauty of our state entitled; The Greater Kedah. Before I go further into this topic, first of all, I would like to take all of you together with me on an adventure with the time machine. Are you ready? Let us go back to the 788 before century when this state was more known by the name Kedah Tua. Back then, Kedah was a bustling, cosmopolitan trading port on the sea route from China to India and further on to Arabia. Researchers who work on the Sungai Batu archaeological site stated that Bujang Valley is important, not just to Southeast Asia but to the world as a whole. The geographical landscape of this area connects the East and West and it’s also an ideal port for ships. Besides the strategic place for ships to dock, the nearby Mount Jerai also acted as a visible waypoint for voyagers. Amazing right? Even long before we were born, Kedah had already booming in popularity among traders from all over the world. Did you know, that Kedah is also one of the earliest states to accept Islam in Malaya? Allah SWT has blessed us with Islam since the earlier days and that is one of the reasons why we must be hand in hand to create the greater Kedah. Ladies and gentlemen, Now that we know the amazing history of Kedah, I’m sure we are all wondering how can we work together to make sure that our beloved state will sustain its greatness from before right? Worry not my dear friends. Let’s buckle up your seatbelts because now we are going to travel with Kedah Airlines so that we get a better view of how to build the greater Kedah that we are all dreaming of. In achieving a developed state status, the most important element that we, as a society need to have is unity. “Strength is always with the Unity” is a well-known phrase and it is true. Unity represents togetherness and being there for each other like we all are one. Therefore, in unity, everyone stands together for every big and small problem. Unity can only be achieved when an individual is ready to sacrifice his or her interests and work for the betterment of the state as a whole with coordination. Undoubtedly the spirit of unity should be inborn. We need to always help and support other people who need help and we should always stand together in every situation. When we unite, we can easily accomplish the goals to make our state the Greater Kedah. The vision of Kedah being a developed state is attainable even though many challenges will be faced later. Dear friends and members of the floor, The Greater Kedah would mean nothing if we neglect the importance of balancing physical and spiritual development. When we are too focused on materialistic success and we put aside our religion, we are left out with a developed state but poor moral behavior of the people. Islam has been bestowed to humankind as a way of life (alDīn), which is a holistic life order that ensures happiness and excellence in worldly life and the hereafter. Islam has set comprehensive guidelines for creating a good nation, as stated in the Quran and Sunnah as exemplified by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as a role model. Thus, in achieving the Greater Kedah, leaders, as well as the society, must uphold the idea of prospering the world with rules defined by Allah. We must make sure the people in this state make Islam the way of their life. Living in obedience to the law of Allah, having a good connection with Allah, and well good dealings with people are the recipe for a successful and developed state. Ladies and gentlemen, I have a dream that one day, the Greater Kedah will not just be a slogan that we keep repeating in speeches but a dream come true for the people of Kedah. I have a dream that one day, every single one of us will look at each other and smile because the hard work that we put on to make Kedah great finally paid off. But until that day comes, we must make sure that we work together, pray together, and struggle together. Now, it is up to us to decide and make the next step in making the Greater Kedah achievable. I have arrived at the end of my speech, and thus I would like to thank all of you for lending your ears. Therefore, I end my speech with thank you very much and goodbye. Assalamualaikum.
