Nik Abdul Aziz

Nik Abdul Aziz B. Nik Mat was born in 1931 at Pulau Melaka, a village located about 7 km from Kota Bharu town. His father, the late Tok Guru Haji Nik Mat B. Raja Banjar is a famous Islamic Scholar at that time. The late Haji Nik Mat Alim was the founder for Pulau Melaka Islamic School or Sekolah pondok (hut type school).

Haji Nik Mat really serious about his sons Islamic education and this is one of the factor that contributed to the style of leadership perform by Tok Guru Nik Aziz. He trained all his son and daughter about the Islamic knowledge from early days.

Furthermore, Tok guru Nik Aziz also had been sent to learn Islamic knowledge from To Khurasan, one of the most famous ‘Guru’ in Kelantan at that time. Later, Tok Guru Nik Aziz continue his study with a few other Islamic Scholar in Kelantan and Jertih, Terengganu with the late Tuan Guru Haji Abbas Haji Ahmad at Madrasah Ittifaqiah.

After 5 years studied at the school, in 1952 Tok Guru Nik Aziz went to India to further his study at the Deoband Darul Ulum in India. The course at Deoband took about 5 years. From India, Tok Guru Nik Aziz continue his Islamic Education at Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt. There, he took the Arabic Language and Islamic Law as main subject After 4 years, this brilliant Tok Guru managed to pass and finish his Bachelor Of Arts and Master of Art in Islamic law. In 1962, Tok Guru Nik Aziz went to Malaya (now Malaysia).

Tok Guru Nik Aziz can speak a few foreign languages such as Arabic, Tamil, Urdu and English. In 1963, Tok Guru Nik Aziz married with Tuan Sabariah Tuan Ishak (at that time his wife was 14 years old). Now, both of them got 10 children (5 daughter and 5 sons).

According to Tok Guru Nik Aziz, all his children took Islamic education as their main subject. Career path After coming back from Egypt, Tok Guru start his work as the full time religious teacher and become an Islamic preacher, to full fill his father ambition. In the middle of 1960, Tok Guru Nik Aziz was a part time teacher and teaches the adult class people for one year (Guru kelas dewasa KEMAS).

He agreed to be the teacher because they (the class supervisor) allow him to gave his lectures without any term and condition (Tak payah ikut telunjuk atau arahan orang kemas, so dia setuju, jangan silap faham pula macam MB Kedah tu selalu do kata) .

Tok Guru Nik Abdul Aziz seriously join the Parti Islam Semalaysia or PAS after resigned as the adult class teacher. In a few month after that, i.e. in 1967, he was offered as the candidate for by-election for Kelantan Hilir (now Pengkalan Chepa) parliamentary seat.

He has won the by-election at Kelantan Hilir or Pengkalan Chepa parliamentary seat from the year 1967 and every time there was another election, he won the seat until 1986 when he was transferred to another parliamentary seat in Bachok, Kelantan.

Nik Aziz as the Central Ulamak Council Chief Tok Guru Nik Aziz has been elected as the Central Ulamak Council Chief from 1968 until now. This position give him authority to advice all matters pertaining to Islamic faced by the party and the followers.

Nik Aziz as the Kelantan’s PAS Commisioner As a good leader, Tok Guru Nik Aziz’s followers has request to the top party’s leaders to appoint him as the Kelantan state party commisioner. They (the followers) need a leaders that was well versed about Islam and they did not want any secular leaders anymore.

At last, the top party’s leaders had agreed to appoint him as the Kelantan’s PAS commissioner, a strong position that give him certain power to manage and control the party’s activities particularly in Kelantan .

Compare to the other state, Kelantan is the only state in Malaysia with the biggest PAS followers. In another words, the position as Kelantan’s PAS Commissioner is actually a big opportunity and not so many opposition party leader in Malaysia.

Ku Li

For a man of his stature, background and experience, he could certainly throw his weight around but he has not done so. Such a stance reflects the depth of his character and values. Despite being a prince, Tengku Razaleigh demonstrates much humility and sensibility in his words that are carefully weighed and executed wisely.

While some characters are very petty and have no qualms about taking legal action against others for a variety of reasons, here is one man who is different from the others because he does not intend to take legal action against Bayan Baru MP Datuk Seri Zahrain Hashim’s revelation in Parliament where he listed eight Barisan Nasional (BN) lawmakers (including Tengku Razaleigh) who had wanted to jump to PKR in its Sept 16 Putrajaya takeover bid two years ago.

I admire Tengku Razaleigh for his sense of fairness and wisdom. He knows what is important and what are the issues that are worthy of a good fight and what are those that are mere petty issues that do no merit discussion.

When G. Manimaran asked him if he would take legal action against the former Penang PKR chief, Tengku Razaleigh asked: “For what?”Personally, I do not see any sense in filing law suits over petty issues for the sake of nitpicking or mudslinging objectives. It is a waste of time and resources of the country's legal system. Such a process is both destructive and should not be used so randomly. Law suits should be filed when the situation warrants such a move.

If only more leaders could demonstrate the elegance and wise choice in words like Tengku Razaleigh instead of being on the offensive to find fault with others like what many are doing so freely.Instead of focusing on the weak points of other leaders or parties, why can't they campaign or work towards the collective good of society in clear, tangible and practical ways that can show results? Why must so many concentrate on and play up certain issues that do not make our country a better place at all?

I am so sick of the vile and virulent statements that some spew from their mouths - words and messages that spread negativism and gloom instead of hopeful thoughts and practical statements that tell us what they will do, can do and/or plan to do. Are such negative messages a ploy to distract others from their own weaknesses or problems in their own backyard or their hidden agenda?

The current mudslinging matches between various factions is MOST unhealthy and definitely creates a negative climate, not only for citizens but also for investors.In the past, there used to be reports that outlined the efforts of certain lawmakers in their constituencies. Today, we read about how one is being questioned by the law, or being sued or being lambasted etc etc. That is certainly very depressing.

When was the last time anyone highlighted his/her plan for the rakyat who elected them into that position of power? This question applies to those MPs on both sides of the divide!!!The time has come for leaders to practise the art of meditation and to try a little bit of kindness towards others.

The time has come for our leaders to really think of the rakyat instead of their own objectives. Just because others are on the offensive does not mean one has to retaliate. We have to know what is worth the battle and what is not.

Definitely, Tengku Razaleigh is well aware if this maxim and is a shining example in this area. I salute him for his perseverance in speaking up without fear or favor on the oil royalty issue. He certainly has the interests of the rakyat in his heart.

Kudos to him - a true prince indeed!

and may I add - a true LEADER!

Leadership : Arrogance

Arrogant leaders are by nature self centered. They believe their success is because of their own abilities and qualities. They are quick to point out the mistakes of others and rarely take the blame for anything that goes wrong. They are project killers because of their poor listening skills and their inability to see beyond themselves and their narrow views.

They know best, and find it burdensome to give others the stage. Challenge them or try to draw them into a debate and watch out! You will be quickly labeled as inflexible and unwilling to accept “what is best”.

In Jim Collins’ book “Good to Great” he found through surveys that humble leadership (opposite of arrogance) was one of the many leadership traits that contributed to the long-term success of organizations.

Humble leaders get involved, are willing to listen to opposing viewpoints, and have high self-esteem. They have high moral values, which causes them to be centered on doing things right for the right reasons. They energize others, and believe their talents are a gift to be kept in perspective both in the work place and in their personal lives. Note: This doesn’t always apply, but you would be surprised. Look at what the arrogant leader and the humble leader drive to work. That can tell you a lot about who they are and the image they are trying to portray.

One of the things we know is that leaders can’t effectively lead if they don’t know what is going on. A telltale sign of the arrogant leader is they don’t care about the details. That is because details are beneath them. They also believe that execution is beneath them. They are the grand strategist and don’t have time to get involved in the details. They are interested in headlines, not deadlines. Serving the greater good takes a back seat to serving their own self interests.

Another trait you might see is that arrogant leaders are threatened by the “good” leaders. They fear the good leader’s success and often view them as weak and ineffective (envy is a four letter word). In fact, many arrogant leaders see humility and attentiveness in others as a character flaw. We know by observation that the arrogant leaders are the ones with the weak character, the ones with the poor communication skills, and are the ones with the low self esteem. The arrogant leader’s weaknesses are easy to spot. They don’t fool anybody but themselves.

Remember the CEOs of Enron, MCI/WorldCom? At one time they were arrogant, now they are in prison.

Emotional Outburst #1 - Arrogant leaders are organizational pariahs, and are terrible project managers. A leader that motivates and inspires has to be visible, informed, and respected. Like any good engineer knows, you sometimes have to get your hands dirty to solve problems and gain the respect of the people doing the work. An arrogant leader is the opposite of a servant leader. Whether they wear a skirt or a suit they are inhibitors to organizational excellence and their thirst for power destroys team synergy and employee morale. We can sum up this type of behavior in one word...Arrogance

ARROGANCE - Those to whom much has been given sometimes suffer from arrogance; or rather the people around them suffer. Arrogance is doubly a pity, because the talents of the arrogant serve primarily themselves. The arrogant assumes his views and opinions are The Truth. In arrogance, natural confidence goes sadly awry. Rather than the self-assurance born of knowing his own strengths and limitations, arrogance admits no limits. The arrogant brooks no weakness in himself and may even secretly rejoice to find flaws in others. But imperfections are inherent in being human, so the arrogant, like everyone else, always has feet of clay, however well hidden they may be. Fearing exposure, haughtiness forms a hard shell masking inner emptiness.

Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin

Prime Minister Quality

Since the Perak crisis, Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin has been the man of the moment!. For the first time, we see a figure (besides Anwar Ibrahim) in Pakatan Rakyat that has sucessfully captured the younger generations imagination. Much suprisingly Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin is from PAS. The engineering graduate from Aston University in Birmingham, United Kingdom who is of mix parentage (Malay father and Chinese mom) is the essence of bangsa Malaysia.

The sleek coolness that emits from Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin, makes Anwar look old school. His calm and sleek moves is mesmerising many, regardless of race and religion. The originality and style of Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin, creates the feeling security for many. Even in the currently chaotic Perak, the man is dealing each and every move amazingly with grand elegance and style. His conviction and confidence surpasses Anwar Ibrahim, he reflects the qualities of a leader that Malaysians would like to see leading the country.

Many Perakian are behind him firm and steady!. Right now, Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin is like the Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park!. He is ten percent luck, twenty percent skills, fifteen percent concentrated power of will, five percent pain, fifty percent faith, and a hundred percent reason to remember the name!

Bridget Lai

"I do think I have nerves of steel. I do best in a crisis, and I'm not afraid of a crisis,' says Alliance Bank Malaysia CEO

Alliance Bank Malaysia Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Bridget Lai faces an internal probe by her bosses, there's no doubt that she has built a respectable career over the past three decades.

Lai, 54, was reportedly courted by Temasek Holdings, the new shareholder in Alliance, for half a year before she took up the offer to head the bank in September 2005.

But her banking career can be traced back to the very bottom of the hierarchy - as a teller. She took on that temporary job at Standard Chartered Bank (StanChart) in Sabah, where she grew up, while waiting for A-level results and acceptance to study law in the UK.The accidental banker did well in that job and her passion for the industry grew. So she stuck around and stayed with the same bank for more than 19 years.

Rising through the ranks, she eventually became the first Malaysian, and first woman, to head StanChart's consumer banking division in 1999.

Alliance Bank Malaysia Bhd and its chief executive officer Datuk Bridget Lai have reached an amicable settlement of their on-going dispute. In a statement released on Thursday, Feb 25 both parties said that the dispute should, in the interest of the bank and shareholders, be resolved."In view of the differences of opinion between the board of directors of the bank and Datuk Bridget Lai that has risen over the last few months,

Datuk Bridget Lai has decided to tender her resignation from the bank with effect from April 1, 2010," the statement said.It went on to say that the decision was joint one between the bank and Lai, "and the resignation is not in any way a reflection of Datuk Bridget Lai".

We will miss her and her leadership

Aung San Suu Kyi

for being a living symbol of hope in a dark place

Taking inspiration from Mohandas Gandhi and Buddhist principles of nonviolence, Aung San Suu Kyi built a mass movement in opposition to the Burmese junta and has spent 14 of the last 20 years under house arrest since winning a general election in 1989.

In a famous 1990 speech, Aung San Suu Kyi argued that when "fear is an integral part of everyday existence," political leaders inevitably give in to corruption, and called for a "revolution of the spirit" in Burma. Instead, she was thrown in prison and today is rarely able to communicate with the outside world.

Her sentence was extended this year after a bizarre incident in which an American man swam to her house to meet with her -- violating the terms of her arrest.

But in a major shift, Aung San Suu Kyi changed her stance on the international sanctions against Burma this year, offering to help the junta's leaders get the sanctions lifted.

Ben Bernanke

The Zen-like chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve might not have topped the list solely for turning his superb academic career into a blueprint for action, for single-handedly reinventing the role of a central bank, or for preventing the collapse of the U.S. economy.

But to have done all of these within the span of a few months is certainly one of the greatest intellectual feats of recent years. Not long ago a Princeton University professor writing paper after paper on the Great Depression, "Helicopter Ben" spent 2009 dropping hundreds of billions in bailouts seemingly from the skies, vigilantly tracking interest rates, and coordinating with counterparts across the globe.

His key insight? The need for massive, damn-the-torpedoes intervention in financial markets. Winning over critics who have since praised his "radical" moves (including Nouriel Roubini, No. 4 on this list), he now faces an uphill battle in his bid for permanently expanded Fed powers. The radicalism is far from over.

"Those who doubt that there is much connection between the economy of the 1930s and the supercharged, information-age economy of the twenty-first century are invited to look at the current economic headlines -- about high unemployment, failing banks, volatile financial markets, currency crises, and even deflation. The issues raised by the Depression, and its lessons, are still relevant today." --Bernanke,