DAYS OF HOPE:
Real Reforms for 'New' Malaysia

ABOUT THE BOOK

The 14th General Election (GE14) defeat of the Barisan Nasional Coalition, which had ruled the country since 1971 was unprecedented in Malaysian history. The displacement of what seemed an unshakeable BN led regime, is testimony to the determination of the Malaysian people and the persistence of civil society in their decades long struggle against BN rule. The Malaysian people chose to cast their votes for Pakatan Harapan because the coalition had promised in their GE14 manifesto to implement wide ranging reforms that made them seem radically different from the BN. Post-GE14 are days of hope indeed…

With the co-optation of many former BN critics into the new PH government, the independent and critical voice of Kua Kia Soong continues to sound consistently in the so-called ‘new’ Malaysia. He has closely monitored the performance of the new PH government and his analyses and commentaries in these days of hope are essential reading for all Malaysians who yearn for real reforms.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Kua Kia Soong is a director of SUARAM. He was arrested under the Internal Security Act during “Operation Lalang” in 1987 and detained for 445 days without trial. Upon his release in 1989, he helped to found SUARAM (Suara Rakyat Malaysia), the leading human rights organization in Malaysia.

Together with other civil rights activists, he joined the Opposition Front in 1990 and was elected Opposition Member of Parliament for Petaling Jaya from 1990 to 1995. He was prisoner of conscience for a second time in 1996 when he spent seven days in prison with other activists for organizing the Second Asia Pacific Conference on East Timor which was disrupted by a mob from the ruling coalition.

He was the Principle of the New Era College, a non-profit tertiary-level institution run by the Chinese education movement (2000-2008); Director of Huazi Research Center set up by the Malaysian Chinese community (1985-90) and Academic Adviser to the Independent Chinese Secondary Schools (1983-85).

Kua received his BA Econ (1975), MA Econ (1976) and PhD in Sociology (1981) from Manchester University, UK. He was a lecturer in sociology at the National University of Singapore in 1978-79.

Civil & Political Rights

1. HUMAN RIGHTS FOR A ‘NEW’ MALAYSIA
2. KEEP THE CONSTITUTION SECULAR AND INCLUSIVE
3. RULE OF LAW IS NOT ARBITRARY RULE
4. RULE OF LAW MUST APPLY TO ALL FINANCIAL SCANDALS
5. EXORCISING RACISM FROM OUR INSTITUTIONS
6. WE DON’T NEED BITTERLY TOXIC & NOXIOUS BTN
7. RACIAL AND RELIGIOUS HATRED ACT IS ILL-CONCEIVED
8. WHO ARE THE PERPETRATORS OF FAKE NEWS?
9. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN ‘NEW’ MALAYSIA
10. DELAYING LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS IS UNACCEPTABLE
11. ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY & EXTRADITE SIRUL
12. SELECTIVE EFFICIENCY OF THE MALAYSIAN POLICE
13. CONSTITUENCY DELINEATION: 60 YEARS OF SUBTERFUGE
14. LGE CORRUPTION CHARGES: BEST LET THE COURT DECIDE
15. CEP REPORT, OSA – CIVIL SOCIETY DEMANDS FULL TRANSPARENCY

Economic, Social & Cultural Rights

1. BUMIPUTERA CONGRESS BURSTS ‘NEW MALAYSIA’ BUBBLE
2. BUMIPUTERAISM THE MAIN CAUSE OF THE BRAIN DRAIN
3. POPULIST POLICIES THAT ARE NOT PROGRESSIVE
4. BRIMMING WITH IDEAS OF WEALTH REDISTRIBUTION
5. A HIGH-INCOME COUNTRY WITH RM1050 MINIMUM WAGE?
6. HAS FORBES 50 DONATED TO ‘SAVE MALAYSIA FUND’?
7. DON’T LET DR M PRIVATISE OUR NATIONAL ASSETS AGAIN
8. TIME FOR PAKATAN TO ADDRESS INSTITUTIONALISED KLEPTOCRACY
9. CONFLICT OF INTEREST HAVING CORPORATE HEADS AS STATE ADVISERS
10. YES TO ROYAL COMMISSIONS ON 1MDB, BMF AND FOREX LOSSES
11. RECLAIM OUR COMMONS & REDISTRIBUTE WEALTH
12. SACRIFICING CHINESE SCHOOLS AT THE ALTAR OF THE DEBT MOUNTAIN
13. DISHONEST TO RENEGE ON UEC RECOGNITION
14. UEC: AN UTTERLY EGREGIOUS CONVERSATION
15. FAIR AND FARSIGHTED EDUCATION POLICY
16. MAT SABU’S DEFENCE PRIORITIES
17. RESTORE SARAWAKIANS’ RIGHTS TO THEIR OIL
18. NEW MALAYSIA A HAVEN FOR PLASTIC WASTE?
19. MIGRANT LIVES MATTER
20. ANWAR NEEDS TO SHOW US HIS REFORM PLAN

Miscellaneous Issues

21. TIME FOR ELDERLY POLITICIANS TO MAKE WAY FOR THE YOUNG
22. PRIME MINISTER’S BIZARRE APPOINTMENTS
23. RAZAK BAGINDA’S INDICTMENT CALLS FOR NEW FULL INQUIRY
24. PATRIOTS & PRETENDERS OF THE EMERGENCY
25. THE MISOGYNISTIC ANTI-UNDIROSAK PACK
26. THANK GOODNESS FOR DAUGHTERS!