Egyptian President-elect Mohamed Morsi's full 25-minute speech

by Borzou Daragahi on Sunday, June 24, 2012 at 4:58pm

In the name of God, the most compassionate, the most merciful. Thanks be to Allah, prayers and peace be upon the messenger of Allah. Say: In the bounty of Allah and in His mercy: therein let them rejoice. It is better than what they hoard (Quranic verse). Egyptian people, you who today are rejoicing and celebrating the feast of democracy in Egypt, you who are standing in squares, in the Tahrir Square and in all the squares of Egypt, my beloved ones, my family and people, my brethren and my sons, who are looking forward to the future, you who want good, rebirth, development, stability, safety and security for our country of Egypt. My beloved ones, I address you thanks to God Almighty. We all thank God for reaching this historic moment, this moment which represents a landmark that has been written with the hands and wills of the Egyptians, their blood, tears and sacrifices, this moment, which we are all shaping with these sacrifices. I would not have talked to you today as the first president elected by the free will of Egyptians in the first presidential elections after the 25 January revolution, I would not have been here today with you now amid this sweeping joy, which is sweeping all corners of our beloved homeland, I would not have been here but for God's help and these sacrifices, the precious blood of our honourable martyrs and our great injured men.

Thanks and salute to the martyrs, to the souls of martyrs, to the mothers and fathers of martyrs, to my people who have lost their dear ones and sacrificed them for the sake of Egypt. My supplications go to these martyrs and the injured people, who watered the tree of freedom with their blood and paved the way for us to reach this moment. I again repeat my appreciation and thanks to the families of all of those who taught their children the meaning of martyrdom and true patriotism and who showed patience for the loss of their dear ones as a price for freedom, who showed patience for the loss of their dear ones as a price for freedom (repetition).

I promise them once again that this precious blood will not go in vain. Salute to the great Egyptian people, the best soldiers on earth, to the Armed Forces, to all its sons wherever they are, pure salutations from my heart to them and I bear them love that nobody knows except for God Almighty. I love them and appreciate their role and show keenness to strengthen them and keep them and this prestigious organization [the army] that we all love and appreciate.

And for the honourable policemen, the policemen who are my brothers and sons, some of whom mistakenly believe that I might feel less appreciation for them and that is wrong. Whoever commits a crime is punished according to the law. As for the honest policemen, who are the majority of my brothers and sons among policemen in Egypt, for those, I'm obliged to salute them because they have a big role to play in the future to maintain safety and security inside the homeland. Due salutations, too, to all Egyptian judges, who supervised all the elections after the revolution and even to those who have not supervised the elections. All judges in Egypt should be appreciated, respected and loved, and they are the third authority that should always keep its head high, remain independent, possess its own will and work separately from the executive power, and my responsibility in the future is to make sure that judges truly and genuinely work separately from the executive and legislative powers. I say to everyone, to all categories of the Egyptian people, to my people in this witnessed day that I'm today by your choice, by your own will, after thanks go to God Almighty, today I am a president for all Egyptians, wherever they are, inside and outside the country, in all governorates, cities, towns of Egypt, on its eastern borders, western borders, southern borders and northern borders and in the middle of the country.

Our vast Egyptian lands, its generous people, my beloved people, the people of Nubia, the people of Rafah, Arish, South Sinai, Mersa Matrouh, west Egypt, north Egypt and Delta provinces, Port Sa'id, cities of the (Suez) Canal; Ismailiya and Suez, Al-Sharqiyah, Al-Daqahliya, Kafr el-Shaykh, Al-Gharbiya, Al-Menoufiya, Al-Qalubiya, Alexandria, the Oases, the Red Sea, South Sinai, southern Upper Egypt; Bani Suef, Al-Fayoum, Al-Minya, Assiut, Suhaj, Qena, Luxor, Aswan, Nubia once again and the Oases, all my people, all my Egyptian people, Muslims and Christians alike, men and women, the old and the elderly and the young men, mothers and fathers, peasants and workers, public servants, teachers, university professors, businessmen, public servants, workers in the Public Enterprise sector and the government departments and the private sector, those who work in all state institutions, merchants, drivers, bus, trains, taxis, tok-tok cars, they are all my people, those who have professions, owners of small kiosks, owners of small shops, vendors selling goods on road pavements, the elderly, the students who go to public and private schools, those who have professions, everyone, I hope I don't ever forget anyone.

I address you all on this remarkable day in which I was chosen, thanks to Allah and your will, president for all Egyptians, and will stand at an equal distance from all Egyptians, everyone has his own value and standing, nobody is dealt with differently except on the basis of their giving to his country and the amount of respect they show for the constitution and law.

I can never forget the people who work in the diplomatic corps and the workers in the General Intelligence Service and those who maintain the security of the homeland against its enemies wherever they are. I cannot forget all of them.

Oh Egyptian people, Egypt, this beloved Egypt which lives in our hearts, our homeland which we all love, Egypt, which impressed the world with its revolution and the sacrifices of its young men, which impressed the world with the queues of its voters, with the keenness of its sons to stand in line in the queues outside polling stations, whether during the constitutional referendum held in March 2011, or in the People's Assembly elections in late 2011, or in the Shura Council elections in early 2012, or in the presidential elections which ended on 17 June, and whose results we celebrate today, and we respect these results.

Egypt, which impressed the world with the queues of its voters, needs now to close ranks, unite the word, so that the patient, great Egyptian people can reap the fruit of their sacrifices in a better life, achieve social justice, freedom and human dignity, which are the basic slogans or the main goals that the throats of the revolutionaries kept repeating in all Egyptian squares on the 25th of January 2011, and which revolutionaries still repeat loudly in all the squares of the revolution, which is still continuing.

The revolution will continue until all its objectives are achieved. Together, we complete this march. The people have been patient, the Egyptian people have been patient and since then suffered disease, hunger, injustice, oppression, marginalization, the rigging of will and the rigging of elections. We used to look around in the world and say: when will Egypt, the Egyptian people, be the source of power? Today, you are the source of power as the world can see in this epic, in this great system through which we would take Egypt to a better future, god willing. 

The people have been patient and long suffered disease, hunger, injustice and oppression, and it is time they restored their will, freedom and found a better life without painstaking and found justice that does not differentiate between an old and a young one or between an employee and an employer, because everyone before the law is equal.

I, my beloved ones the people of Egypt, who have trusted me and put on my shoulder the responsibility, this heavy responsibility, say to all of you, I, thanks to God, have been put in authority over you and I am not the best of you. I have been put in authority over you and I am not the best of you (repetition). I will do my best to fulfil the commitments and obligations I have undertaken before all of you. Egypt is for all Egyptians, all of us are equals in terms of rights. All of us also have duties towards this homeland. As for myself, I don't have rights. I only have duties. I have no rights. Rather, I only have duties. So, help me, my people. Help me as long as I do the right thing. Help me as long as obey Allah in you. If I did not do that and did not commit to what I have promised you before, then obedience to me is not incumbent upon you. Obedience to me is not incumbent on you (repetition).I invite you, the great Egyptian people, my people in this historic moment to strengthen our national unity, to cement bonds amongst us, to strengthen our comprehensive national unity. And hold fast, all of you together, to the cable of Allah, and do not separate (Quranic verse).

We are all Egyptians no matter what our viewpoints, we are all nationalists no matter what our parties and trends. We are all faithful to the revolution and to the blood of martyrs. There is no place for the language of collusion and there is no place for accusing each other of treachery. This national unity is the way now to get Egypt out of this difficult stage and to prepare for a comprehensive project in which we are all involved; a comprehensive project for the real rebirth of Egypt, real development, real capitalization of all our resources. Our resources are massive. God's blessings are numerous. And if ye would count the bounty of Allah ye cannot reckon it (Quranic verse). But as you all know, these resources were plundered and misused. We are today about to run these resources in a way that benefits us all, God willing.I invite you to prepare for a comprehensive project of rebirth, for the Egyptian rebirth, with the hands of all Egyptians. We Egyptians, Muslims and Christians, we Egyptians, Muslims and Christians, are advocates of civilization and construction.

We have always been like that and will remain so, God willing. We will face together seditions and conspiracies that aim at our national unity and our social coherence. As we have together made the great revolution of January 2011, we insist that you impress the world once more with Egyptian renaissance, God willing, that achieves dignity and stability, welfare, good life for every free, dignified Egyptian in the land of Egypt.

I am intent with your help to build a new Egypt, a national country, a constitutional, democratic, modern country, and all my time will be dedicated to this big project which is based on our identity and reference. I will work hard with all of you to maintain Egypt's national security, with all its dimensions, whether at Arab, African, regional or international levels. We will maintain international charters and conventions.

We came to the world with a message of peace. We will maintain international charters and conventions and the commitments and agreements Egypt has signed with the world. We will also work to make the Egyptian system of ethics, and its civilizational identity, in addition to human values particularly in freedoms, respect for human rights, maintaining rights of women and children and abrogating all sorts of discrimination. We will establish, God willing, balanced relations with all world powers, we will establish balanced relations between us and other world countries based on common interests and mutual respect and benefits to all sides.

We will not allow ourselves to interfere in the internal affairs of any country in the same way that we will not allow any interference in our affairs and hence maintain our national sovereignty and the borders of the Egyptian state. Let everybody knows that Egypt's decision is made inside it, by the will of its sons, let everybody know that Egypt by our call for peace with all the world is capable by its people, men, people, armed forces, great history, of defending itself and preventing any aggression or thoughts of aggression against it or against its sons in any part of this world.

You great Egyptian people, my people and family, I realize the challenges facing us at this stage but I'm sure that we with God's help and our cooperation and your support would be able to cross this stage quickly so that Egypt can be strong and leading to its nation, pioneering in its world. This is Egypt's destiny and what is waiting it. This is Egypt's destiny and what is waiting it in the future, God willing.

I reiterate that while we all are celebrating and rejoicing with this great democracy, with these elections, with the victory of the nation's will in the way that you are celebrating now. I reiterate what I have said before that I will not betray Allah in you, would not betray Allah in you and would not disobey Him in my country.

I set before my eyes God's saying: and guard yourselves against a day in which ye will be brought back to Allah. Then every soul will be paid in full that which it hath earned, and they will not be wronged. Repeat with me my beloved ones, with our will, our unity, our love for each other, we can shape the decent future for all of us. Some might not see that from outside the homeland or feel it is difficult for us to achieve that out of sympathy for us or for other reasons, however, we, God willing, can go ahead along this path to achieve a better future.

Allah guideth us all to the best of ways. My beloved ones, some see this, but we see it together close, God willing. Tomorrow is very soon. And Allah was predominant in His career, but most of mankind know not (Quranic verse). Peace and God's blessings be upon you.

REFERENCE

www.facebook.com/notes/borzou-daragahi/egyptian-president-elect-mohamed-morsis-full-25-minute-speech-tonight/10150890249727286

The challenges facing Egypt's new president

By Muhammad ShukriBBC Monitor
The new Egyptian President, Mohammed Mursi, faces immense challenges on the domestic front, having inherited a politically divided country with a heavy legacy of corruption, poverty, rampant unemployment and security problems.Externally, Egypt's new leader will also encounter a number of serious challenges, the most prominent of which are relations with Israel, the US and Iran. Here is a look at some of the most pressing issues.

National reconciliation

The Mursi-Shafiq battle in the runoff has left Egypt politically divided, as reflected in Mursi's narrow victory.

More than 12 million voters decided to support Mubarak's last prime minister. This represents a challenge to Mr Mursi who will now have to embark on serious steps towards national reconciliation.

Building bridges with those who voted against him, particularly liberals and Copts, appears to be an immediate priority.

"No-one can run a country while knowing that half of the country is not with him," political analyst Hasan Abu-Talib told Nile News TV on 24 June.

In this context, Mr Mursi will also have to dissociate himself from the Muslim Brotherhood and prove that he is indeed "a president for all Egyptians".

Relations with the military

Relations with the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf) will likely be a thorny issue for Mr Mursi.

The military have limited some of the new president's powers

As the presidential runoff started, the Scaf issued a supplementary constitutional declaration which has cut down much of the president's powers.

The Scaf has given to itself temporary legislative powers following the dissolution of parliament, and has secured complete control over all army affairs, including the defence budget, the appointment of commanders and the extension of their service.

The president can declare war, but only after the approval of the Scaf.

Under the new declaration, the Scaf will also form a new constituent assembly, should the current one be scrapped by the court looking into lawsuits filed against it.

Security and economy

On the domestic front, Mr Mursi has two equally important issues on his plate: security and the economy.

Despite a recent slight improvement, public security has deteriorated since the 25 January revolution. There has been a rise in killings, abductions and car theft, amid widespread possession of weapons.

Also, working with the security apparatus that has for decades clamped down on his group will be a difficult challenge for the new president.

Equally challenging is the domestic economy. More than 40% of Egyptians live below the poverty line. The country's economic situation has generally worsened since the revolution.

The withdrawal of investments, the closure of a large number of factories and persistent strikes in various sectors have taken their toll on the economy.

More than half of Egypt's foreign reserves have already been eroded.

The Gulf Co-operation Council

There is tension between the Muslim Brotherhood and the Gulf Co-operation Council (pictured)

Prior to Mr Mursi's victory, concern had been voiced in Egypt that a win for the Muslim Brotherhood's candidate could have a negative effect on relations with the Gulf as some states there may not be happy about a Brotherhood candidate being at the helm.

In March, statements by Muslim Brotherhood spokesman Mahmud Ghuzlan caused tensions with the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf states.

Mr Ghuzlan was reported to have made hostile remarks about the UAE after Dhahi Khalfan, the Dubai police chief, said he would ask Interpol to issue a warrant to arrest well-known cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi. Al-Qaradawi had accused the UAE of deporting Syrian activists and their families from the Gulf state.

The Gulf Co-operation Council spokesman at the time described Mr Ghuzlan's remarks as "irresponsible", as such comments "could impact relations between Egypt and the rest of the Arab region."

Following Mr Ghuzlan's statement, Mr Khalfan also accused Muslim Brotherhood supporters in the UAE of using social media to stir up opposition to the Gulf's ruling elite.

Israel and the US

Relations with Israel and the US are among the most difficult challenges facing Mr Mursi.

As a pragmatist, he will likely be keen to respect the peace treaty with Israel and maintain good relations with the US and the West.

In his first televised address, he emphasised that he will honour all international treaties and agreements signed by Egypt.

The challenge here will emanate from the fact that many Egyptians, including the Muslim Brotherhood itself, used to accuse the Mubarak regime of being subordinate to the US. If Mr Mursi does not visibly change Egypt's policy in this regard, this will very likely cast a negative impact on his image at home.

Iran and Africa

Strengthening ties with Iran could prove unpopular with some of Egypt's allies

Mr Mursi's stance on Iran is another important issue. For decades, Egypt's former governments have steered clear of opening up relations with Iran.

In recent years, there have been fears of growing Shia influence in the Arab world, and attempts to penetrate Egypt. Although Al-Azhar and the Salafists in Egypt worry about any Shia presence in Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood's stance on Iran has always been positive.

Mr Mursi has reportedly told the Iranian news agency Fars that he is looking forward to strengthening relations with Iran "to create a strategic balance in the region" - although a spokesman for Mr Mursi denied that he had done an interview with Fars.

Any efforts by Mr Mursi in this direction may face opposition at home and have implications abroad, in the light of the stance adopted by the US, Israel and the West against Iran.

Relations with the Nile Basin countries will be another important task for Mr Mursi. He will need to build bridges between Egypt and these states in order to resolve the issue of sharing the waters of the Nile.

REFERENCE
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-18582746

Katatni's Full Speech After His Election As Speaker of People's Assembly

Assalamu'laikum wbth


1. Alhamdulillah, lebih 70 tahun mereka menyantuni dan mendidik melalui aktiviti kebajikan. Perlu tingkatkan lagi peranan kita bersama anak2 muda sekarang mengajak msyrkt kembali pada deen dan meyakini janji Allah.

2. Natijah awal dari perjuangan yg sudah berlangsung sekian lama dgn kesungguhan dan istiqomah.

3. Islam semakin hilang dagangnya di bumi anbia ini. Moga menjadi pencetus semangat kepada kita disini. InsyaAllah


Read on:

In The Name of God, Most Merciful, Most Gracious

Gentlemen, the great Egyptian people's members of parliament. We must all give thanks to God for His generosity and bounty, His mercy and blessing to the people of Egypt in the great white revolution that overthrew the corrupt regime, uprooting the evils of injustice, tyranny and corruption.


From this podium, from this venerable hall, we announce to the Egyptian people and the whole world that our revolution goes on, and we will not rest, yield or retreat until all the revolution’s objectives are fully achieved, with retribution for the martyrs – with fast, effective and fair trials. And together we shall rebuild new Egypt, the constitutional, civil, democratic, modern Egypt.


I am most honored and very happy for the precious trust you have reposed in me, to fill this position of Speaker of the Egyptian People’s Assembly after the glorious people's revolution. I am most grateful to those who have honored me by voting for me. And I am most proud of all my colleagues who have had a different opinion. This is the democracy we all have to resort to and accept the outcome. This is the democracy that was absent from this stately room for decades. This democracy will always be the source of strength, excellence and nobility of our venerable Assembly.
Egypt has lost many of its citizens for freedom and democracy, stability, development and rejuvenation. Hence, brothers and sisters, we announce, right here, that we will never betray the blood of the martyrs. We will not betray the blood of our brothers and sisters, our sons and daughters, and the sacrifices made by all the noble people of this our homeland. Indeed, we will endeavor to make this esteemed Assembly the rightful address for democracy, for achieving all the goals of the Egyptian revolution.


I vow to you all, gentlemen, members of this parliament, that this platform shall be committed to impartiality and integrity, to weigh matters on the honest scales of justice, and to safeguard for each MP their constitutional right to full freedom to express their views and ideas under this dome.


I take this opportunity to extend my sincere congratulations to the noble Egyptian people, who made this revolution, and succeeded unequivocally in the quest for democratic freedom by partaking so effectively in elections that have been hailed throughout the whole world. Thus all allegations thrown falsely at the Egyptian people have been refuted. The corrupt former regime claimed that Egyptians were not ready for democracy. But you, gentlemen, members of this parliament, are the symbol of the people's success in engaging and exercising democracy by electing you to represent them under the dome of this illustrious institution. I offer you my respectful congratulations on winning their precious trust.


I extend my sincere thanks to the Armed Forces and the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which has honored its promise to the people to hold the elections in a manner to be envied and praised by the whole world. That it did. The Egyptian people, as well as the whole world, did welcome and vouch for these elections, despite some minor irregularities. Egyptian citizens now realize their value and the value of their views and opinions. In fact, they have become politically skillful, because they have regained their sense of belonging to their own homeland, and have been transformed into real patriots who care for their homeland and its issues and challenges.


We have seen, since the liberalization of political parties, a big jump in the number of parties formed, in spite of the short period of time allowed by the nature of the transitional phase. The Egyptian people turned out in unprecedented numbers to take part in making the future of their homeland.


In your name, and on your behalf, from this historic hall, I extend my thanks and appreciation to the High Judicial Elections Commission and the judiciary, who suffered hardship, supervised the electoral process at all polling stations with the impartial controls of justice. So, let’s offer our sincere thanks and appreciation to the honorable judges of Egypt.

In the name of you all, I would also like – once again – to thank the officers and soldiers and all members of the great armed forces of Egypt, who – together with the honorable members of the police force – bore the responsibility of protecting the electoral process, in such a civilized manner that has been praised by all.
Gentlemen, members of parliament..


This Assembly, the Parliament of the great Egyptian people’s revolution, has a tremendous load of significant challenges and urgent, important tasks – political, legislative and oversight work that will lay the ground for establishing modern Egypt, and connect the country's glorious history with its bright future, after a lapse of several decades. Evidently, Egypt is in a great need for concerted efforts of all MPs to fulfil the requirements of this stage.


We need to have wisdom and patience, resolve and determination. We need to work together to equip the nation with mechanisms to deal with the new era so as to propel Egypt into a leading position worthy of its heritage of civilization and the capabilities of its great people, its leading role, which it played effectively in Arab and regional levels for so long.

We need to work to weed out corruption from its roots. Egypt has suffered its excruciating evil for so long.


We need to review a broad package of legislation for re-building the state’s institutions and social, economic and political infrastructures.


We need to work on the re-discovery of the Egyptian person in order for him/her to become a new, post- revolution Egyptian citizen.


Further, we need to build the Legal State on the basis of truth, justice and equality.


Furthermore, we need to reform education, which currently causes an unbearable strain on Egyptian families, and fails to turn out graduates with world-class competitive quality. We are also responsible for providing health care and treatment for all Egyptians. We are also responsible for providing a decent life for all citizens of this great nation.


All this and many other pressing needs require great efforts and continuous dialogue among all parties. I believe that the commonalities are plentiful among all the national, patriotic parties and stakeholders represented in this esteemed Assembly. Who among us does not work to promote the values ??of freedom, human rights, citizenship and national pride! Who among us does not see the importance of pushing the wheel of the economy and all the development initiatives at all levels! Who does not strive to alleviate the suffering of limited-income citizens and to ensure a decent living for all Egyptians! There are many more of these commonalities. It therefore is important for us all to take the path of consensus and integration in order to accomplish all these tasks, to meet and protect all the demands of the revolution, and to put an end to many of the crises caused by the former regime whose officials are being tried now and will receive their just punishment for their crimes against this great people. These trials will continue for all the remnants of that defunct and corrupt system.


I would like to go on to note that we will accomplish our responsibility according to the constitutional rules and norms that are indisputably important and vital for the conduct of the affairs of the People's Assembly.


- Our performance will be subject to provisions of the Assembly’s current Rules of Procedure. We will apply of its provisions all those which are consistent with the provisions of the Constitutional Declaration; and we will also apply of its other provisions those which are not inconsistent with the Constitutional Declaration.


- I emphasize that we respect the freedom of opinion, including the opinions of others. This is the most important aspect of democracy. I hope our debates and discussions shall reflect the depth of our civilization. We shall rise above personal whims and desires. We shall avoid being misled by emotions that rob people’s wisdom. We shall seek to serve the best interests of this homeland in all our decisions and our discussions.


- We are obliged to honor the martyrs and the wounded of the revolution, as well all the sacrifices made for it, by fulfilling the Egyptian people’s aspirations to freedom, progress and prosperity, and by safeguarding the interests of the public. We are required to contribute our visions to help solve public, local and individual problems. We have chosen to carry the burden. We must not sleep or feel rested, until we give everyone his rights.


- This critical phase, in which your esteemed Assembly has been formed, makes this parliament unique in its functions, tasks and responsibilities. We have to extend bridges of sincere cooperation with all national parties, forces and stakeholders. We need sincere cooperation with the government, present and future, to revive the economy and control the budget deficit. We need to cooperate in order to restore citizens' trust in state institutions, and to emphasize that they are working for the people, not in favor of a particular gang. We must be aware of all the national priorities for action in this important phase of the country's history.

Gentlemen, distinguished members of parliament..

The precious trust with which you honored me, by electing me for Speaker of this Assembly, has placed a great responsibility on my shoulders, to live up to the expectations of everyone in the management of Assembly affairs within the framework of respect for the Constitution and the law and regulations. This requires that I strive to deepen democratic practice, and to give all the parliamentary bodies their due right to express their opinions and ideas freely. It also requires maintenance of good management of the Assembly’s time. And it requires keeping debates and discussions within the context of issues under consideration by the Assembly at any given time, in order to reach the right decision, which echoes the pulse of the Egyptian street and the people’s aspirations.


Dear colleagues and members of the People's Assembly..

At this historic moment, and as we begin work of the new post revolution parliament, we aspire to epitomize the dawn of new hopes that Egypt has waited for, for decades. We need to make sincere dedicated efforts to bring goodness and happiness to the people of Egypt, who gave us this responsibility to represent them, to hold their national interests high above all else. In pursuit of all this, we are helped with a real democratic climate, which has been established by Egypt’s glorious revolution.

Gentlemen, honorable members of parliament ..

In conclusion, I extend my warm greetings and appreciation to all of you.

Once again, I offer you my respectful congratulations on winning the people’s precious trust.

Now, roll up your sleeves and get ready for the tremendous parliamentary tasks that await you.

We ask God Almighty to guide us for the good of Egypt ..

Reference:
http://www.ikhwanweb.com/article.php?id=29592