As is widely recognized, since assuming power, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has unlocked Türkiye's vast potential. Through bolstering the nation's infrastructure, expanding investments, driving economic growth and achieving groundbreaking advancements in the defense industry, he has elevated Türkiye to the status of a formidable regional power.
Every great empire in history leaves behind a legacy. The Roman Empire left Europe as its legacy. Although the Ottoman Empire left only the lands of modern Türkiye as its direct inheritance, it also left a vast sphere of global influence to today's Türkiye, a massive hinterland behind.
Throughout its expansive imperial era, the Ottoman State, deeply rooted in the migration of the Turks from Central Asia, cultivated enduring cultural and political connections with the Turkic Republics in Asia. Its rule extended over numerous territories, reaching as far as the borders of present-day Germany, and therefore recognized as an integral component of the European state system.
Simultaneously, as a state that initially took shape in the Balkans and later consolidated its power in Anatolia, it is equally regarded as a Balkan state.
The Ottoman Empire, which ruled over at least 14 nations across Africa, is commemorated in African lands as a lost era of justice and a vanished civilization. As the British historian Arnold Joseph Toynbee appropriately characterized it, Türkiye is a "frozen civilization," a testament to its enduring yet dormant legacy.
When considering the Middle Eastern nations, the majority were integral parts of Ottoman territories until the early 20th century – specifically until 1917 – as the Ottoman Empire maintained its presence in these lands for nearly four centuries.
By the end of World War I, nearly half of the territories seized by Britain and France consisted of lands of the Ottomans.
When the Republic of Türkiye emerged as a sovereign state, imperialist powers exerted significant efforts to ensure that Türkiye would forget its historical legacy, sever connections with its past and, where feasible, detach itself from its religious and cultural traditions.
Imperialist countries not only occupied territories but also destroyed the hopes of these nations and peoples for the future through cultural imperialism. They enslaved the intellectuals and governing classes of countries they ruled and ensured they would remain perpetual slaves to Western states until the end of time.
It is natural for Türkiye to influence the Balkans, the Middle East or Africa where it has traces – regions where the Ottoman State once ruled – because it is not easy to erase the memories of empires.
However, those unfamiliar with Türkiye, the Ottomans, the Seljuks, the Timurid Empire or the Mughals cannot comprehend the impact Türkiye could have in Malaysia, Indonesia or Pakistan.
Given this, people who were oppressed by imperialist occupation and cultural imperialism for 200 years are seeking a future and a noble way out.
In countries that have spent many years under the yoke of colonialism, a direct challenge to the West has not yet emerged. But subconsciously, every nation – including Malaysia, Indonesia or Pakistan – aims to rise on its national identity and leave its mark on the future with its strength.
However, in recent years, Erdoğan has built a strong Türkiye, transformed it into a regional power and, through his rhetoric and statements, has challenged Western leaders without any inferiority complex. He has stood up for Africa, Palestine and oppressed peoples worldwide.
The historical mission of the Ottoman Empire, combined with Türkiye's growing, developing and powerful military and the leadership of Erdoğan, has created a magical atmosphere across nations.
During Erdoğan's visit to Malaysia, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s words about him also describe Erdoğan’s stance. Ibrahim introduced Erdoğan with these words:
"Few statesmen of our era have exhibited such fortitude, resolve and a firm grasp of history’s tides as President Erdoğan. For over two decades, he has guided Türkiye through a period of remarkable transformation, doing so with a clarity of purpose and unwavering conviction that is as rare as it is admirable. Indeed, President Erdoğan has reshaped the contours of Turkish statecraft, reasserted national pride and positioned Türkiye as an indispensable player on the global stage."
"President Erdoğan’s journey is one of remarkable defiance. From imprisonment to the highest office in the land, his story is not merely one of survival but of triumph. He has not simply withstood adversity; he turned it into a forge for even greater resilience. Türkiye today is stronger, more assured and more determined than at any time in its modern history, and that is in no small part due to your stewardship of President Erdoğan."
Ibrahim underlined that Erdoğan first stood for justice and fairness and then fiercely criticized the representatives of colonialism and imperialism in the world. Ibrahim also mentioned that Erdoğan, at the same time, stood by the cause of Palestine, which many nations had abandoned, and pointed out that, over time, all world states followed Erdoğan’s rhetoric.
Ibrahim’s unique portrayal of Erdoğan has been echoed and reiterated.
However, in Türkiye, particularly among Western-oriented intellectuals shaped by Western hegemony and burdened by an inferiority complex regarding their own identity, there remains a persistent tendency to overlook or dismiss Erdoğan.
Yet, Erdoğan is a world leader who has revived Türkiye’s lost mission, elevated it to a regional power and created a global impact on the international stage. The persecuted folks, oppressed people and Muslims worldwide admire him.
