S. Munirah Alatas, Ph.D. | Universiti Malaya (original) (raw)

Papers by S. Munirah Alatas, Ph.D.

After the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti, a common shelter response among large aid agencie... more After the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti, a common shelter response among large aid agencies was to build standalone single storey structures, often built of timber or steel frame. These are widely known as transitional shelters, or T-shelters, provided by agencies as a supposed ‘stop-gap’ between temporary tents and long term permanent housing. While the T-shelter approach, increasingly adopted since 2004, is popular among agencies and donors, others argue that T-shelter programs as currently enacted can detract attention away from long-term recovery. Shelter after disaster is complex: recognising this, the 2011 UK Humanitarian Emergency Response Review (HERR) noted that ‘Providing adequate shelter (after disaster) remains one of the most intractable problems in international humanitarian response’ (25). The situation is more still complex still in urban areas, where varied forms of living take place (such as multi- occupancy, squatting, tenancy), and for poorer households li...

Politikon: South African Journal of Political Studies, 2022

Mainstream discourses on the Indo-Pacific have gained momentum over the last fifteen years or so.... more Mainstream discourses on the Indo-Pacific have gained momentum over the last fifteen years or so. Since 2007, when India and Japan began sharing strategic assessments after China’s enunciation of its “String of Pearls” strategy, military-strategic references to the construct dominated scholarly and policy discussions. This article is an analysis of these discourses, from the perspective of Southeast Asia. Specifically, the discussion suggests that the Southeast Asian roots of the Indo-Pacific construct predate 2007. They prioritise oceanic connectivity and diplomatic engagement across maritime spaces, embodied in the Southeast Asian concepts of nusantara and bebas-aktif. The small states of Southeast Asia had already conceived of one contiguous Indian and Pacific oceanic space within the context of decolonisation, Third World emancipation, and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). This article suggests that these conceptual maps remain muted in mainstream discourses on the Indo-Pacific. It also highlights the Eurocentric nature of discourses on regionalism and geopolitics, which tend to silence Southeast Asia’s role in concept building. The analysis concludes that discourses about the Indo-Pacific region would be more informed by Southeast Asia’s strategic vision and perspectives on connectivity, which could in turn, contribute to more productive policies on peaceful engagement in region.

BERITA: Malaysia/Singapore/Brunei Studies Group Association for Asian Studies, 2022

Letter from the Chair As I write this letter, we are hopeful that for the first time in two years... more Letter from the Chair As I write this letter, we are hopeful that for the first time in two years, many members of our group will be able to be physically present at the upcoming Association for Asian Studies Conference, scheduled to take place in Hawaii between March 24 to March 27, 2022. We hope some of you will be in attendance and that you will be able to attend our annual MSB Studies Group Business Meeting on Saturday, March 26, 2022 at 2:15pm-3:45pm. At the meeting, we'll present our annual awards, discuss plans for the future of our group, and for the first time, will have a small reception, giving us a chance to renew old connections and make new ones with other scholars with interests in the Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei region. (Of course, if the format of the Conference changes, we will let you know. The MSB Business Meeting will also be available virtually; see our Facebook page for updates.) This year, I'll hand over the chair of our group to my friend and colleague, Cheong Soon Gan, of the University of Wisconsin-Superior. When Cheong Soon takes over as chair, I become 'Chair Mentor'-or the ex officio chair, replacing Eric Thompson of the National University of Singapore (NUS), who has guided me wisely during my term. Serving as the Deputy Chair under Cheong Soon will be Elvin Ong, of NUS. Elvin brings both a long record of engagement and a keen commitment to our MSB group. My role as chair has allowed me to connect more deeply with many of our members and I have gained tremendously from my association with this group. This past year we made the best of our virtual connection by sponsoring the first-ever MSB Annual Lecture, featuring James Chin, Professor of Asian Studies at the University of Tasmania. One of the leading commentators on Malaysian politics, Dr. Chin's lecture, NEP @ 50, assessed the success and failure of the policy and the key lessons from Malaysia's experiment with social engineering. We held the lecture on August 6th via Zoom, precisely fifty years to the day that Tun Razak gave the first speech concerning 'Malaysia's New Economic Policy' to the Economic Bureau of UMNO. The lecture was followed by a commentary by Dr.

Journal of Third World Studies, Sep 22, 2013

INTRODUCTION: THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS This paper is a discussion of the presence of TNCs, and ... more INTRODUCTION: THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS This paper is a discussion of the presence of TNCs, and development banks and corporations in managing and distributing scarce freshwater resources in Malaysia. The discussion centers around how these entities might have or have not been able to alleviate the problem of water scarcity. The discourse in this work focuses on freshwater scarcity and the theory of social adaptive capacity in Malaysia, amidst the privatization process which is manifested by the presence of transnational water corporations and multinational development banks. How successful are they in enabling society to adapt to growing water scarcity? (1) Through what means are the TNCs and banks managing the high demand for freshwater in Malaysia? What aspects of the water industry are the TNCs and banks focusing on? Are the TNCs and banks facilitating adequate water availability in both urban and rural areas? By asking these questions, we attempt to review the concept of social adaptive capacity of Malaysian society in the context of freshwater scarcity and in the presence of the privatization process of the water industry. The discussion in this paper is situated within the framework of the social adaptive capacity theory. This means that a majority of states do not go to war over scarce water resources but instead cooperate and seek settlements to reflect their long term interests. Broadly defined, adaptation refers to the genetic or behavioral characteristics which enable organisms or systems to cope with environmental changes, such as drought and water scarcity. (2) Even though TNCs, banks and trade regimes are getting more involved in the water issues, it has not come to the point of conflict in Malaysia. The social adaptation capacity posits that its essence is self-restraint, moderation, comrpomise and peace. The theory accepts the inevitability of the trade in water resources, and many developing and poorer countries see that the central concern is the liberty of the individual; people see the state as a necessary part of preserving liberty and that the state must always be the 'servant' of the collective will. The social adaptation capacity theory is a framework under which society reconciles order (security) with justice (equality). Thus, water TNCs and corporations have an important task at hand, i.e. to perform their duties within the framework of social adaptation capacity. By discussing the role of TNCs and corporations in the business of water, this theory should guide stakeholders to consider affordable operation costs (extraction of water), efficient delivery to households and businesses and equal distribution of clean water to consumers. Adaptations are considered responses to risks associated with the interaction of environmental hazards such as water scarcity, and human vulnerability or social adaptive capacity. This article hypothesizes that the social adaptive capacity theory will ease water stress despite there being a combination of reduced government control, the growing involvement of TNCs and development banks and privatization, whose aims are to primarily maximize profits ad secondarily to alleviate water stress. The concept of the social adaptive capacity theory can be summarized with the following quote: "For human societies, adaptive capacity can be defined as the ability to plan, facilitate, and implement measures to adapt to climate change. Factors that determine adaptive capacity may include level of economic wealth and well-being, availability of appropriate technology, extent of information and skills, provision of sufficient infrastructure, effectiveness of institutions, political stability, cultural cohesiveness and social equity." (3) However, capacity for what? The most accurate approach is the scientific capacity for understanding earth sciences, and social and management sciences, and management capacity through adaptation measures and adaptation policy. …

India Quarterly: A Journal of International Affairs, 2013

Since 2004, with the new premierships of Manmohan Singh, in India, and Abdullah Badawi, in Malays... more Since 2004, with the new premierships of Manmohan Singh, in India, and Abdullah Badawi, in Malaysia, India and Malaysia have been playing active roles in decision-making on many issues, regionally through regional blocks. Despite these positive developments, the area where there is a pressing need for the two countries to discuss and act upon concerns environmental security, mainly freshwater scarcity and security. Both India and Malaysia face worrying proportions of freshwater shortages, due to a number of reasons, including increasing individual consumption, industrialisation and poor agricultural practices. This article discusses how both India and Malaysia, as well as their roles in four regional organisations, can recognise the problem of freshwater scarcity and security and propose solutions for adaptation and mitigation. The theoretical framework within which this discussion is couched in is liberalism.

Asian Journal of Environment and Disaster Management, 2013

Environmental displacement has become a contemporary global concern due to the increasing intensi... more Environmental displacement has become a contemporary global concern due to the increasing intensity of climate change effects on peoples around the world. In recent times, this issue has become a socio-political problem due to the increasing rate of displacement within and outside of a country. Therefore, environmental security has emerged as a new concept and growing issue within the domain of human security. This development has become a political issue, due to socioeconomic and cross border involvement as well as problems that have emerged within countries. Also, remarkably little attention has been given to analyze, monitor, evaluate and predict changes that are involved in the causes and consequences of climate change induced vulnerability and human security. Similarly, detailed studies on the causes due to such contemporary issues are lacking, globally. For this paper, it is intends to identify causes, consequences and projections of environmental degradation, and the vulnerability of human livelihood caused by climatic and hydro-meteorological disasters in Malaysia. Therefore, this paper discusses issues to do with flood-related vulnerability both in rural and urban areas, and its impact on human security in Malaysia. It also outlines the potential scientific tools that may be applied to predict, evaluate and plan to overcome the problem. The prime objective is to identify and to develop a new paradigm integrating tools of socioeconomic , cultural and scientific aspects. It is assuming that, this effort would be able to put forward a theme to integrate scientists, social scientists and policy makers to work together to solve such issues.

Global Studies Quarterly, 2021

Geopolitics describes the interaction of states, civilizations, peoples, and economies within geo... more Geopolitics describes the interaction of states, civilizations, peoples, and economies within geographical spaces. Geopolitical dynamics assume that there is a universal pattern of state behavior, based on the Westphalian state system of rules. However, recent developments in international relations theoretical discourses highlight the universalism and particularism in geopolitics, especially with respect to foreign policy approaches. The following is a discussion on Malaysian foreign policy and perceptions of geopolitics. It suggests that non-Western states formulate policy that is conditioned by their historical and cultural traditions. These determine how state power and threat are perceived, as well as how leadership responds to them. Therefore, Malaysian foreign policy formulation is not only conditioned by what is universally understood within the Westphalian state system, but also reveals a particularism external to what is considered normative West-centric state behavior.

Asian Journal of Social Science, 2020

What do Malaysians understand by the term, "intellectual"? Is the intellectual in the Malaysian c... more What do Malaysians understand by the term, "intellectual"? Is the intellectual in the Malaysian context undefined, or insignificant? Do Malaysians see the need for intellec-tuals? Answers to these questions reflect the extant to which Malaysia has advanced in her post-colonial development. Amidst the race towards IR 4.0 and Society 5.0, Malaysia's education system lags behind and leaders continue to be embroiled in identity politics. Syed Hussein Alatas, a world-renowned Malaysian intellectual, raised these questions in the 1950s. His writings focus on social change, corruption, and intellectual captivity. Even though his writings are easily accessible, his ideas have not been widely assimilated by Malaysia's ruling elite, as part of the reform agenda. This article highlights the relevance of Alatas's ideas in Malaysia's current socio-political transformation. It concludes that leadership's failure to identify relevant problems is because they have neglected the vital role of intellectuals, such as the critical ideas of Syed Hussein Alatas.

Free Malaysia Today, 2018

The Journal of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations, 2006

Politikon: South African Journal of Political Studies, 2022

BERITA: Malaysia/Singapore/Brunei Studies Group Association for Asian Studies, 2022

Journal of Third World Studies, Sep 22, 2013

India Quarterly: A Journal of International Affairs, 2013

Asian Journal of Environment and Disaster Management, 2013

Global Studies Quarterly, 2021

Asian Journal of Social Science, 2020

Free Malaysia Today, 2018

The Journal of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations, 2006

Gerak Budaya Publishers, 2020

This book discusses the mindset of the Malay ruler between the fourteenth and seventeenth centuri... more This book discusses the mindset of the Malay ruler between the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries. Two key Malay historical works, the Hikayat Raja Pasai and the Sejarah Melayu, are used as primary sources. They are examples of socio-cultural manifestations of the Malay ruling class in the context of political change in the Malay world. The Malay ruling elite utilised historical narrative to reduce the rippling effect of change that resulted from military and political upheavals. In the process, these commissioned histories were focused on legitimising the ruling elites' continued right to rule. These works were a reaction to the political decline of the Malay kerajaan. They were also a deliberate attempt to manipulate Malay society into preserving the royal polity. Myth played an important role in Muslim Malay political culture at the time. In the pre-colonial period, the Malay state ideology was a construct of the royal families. The discourse in this book focuses on aspects of Malay history that were used by the royal household to legitimise their political role at the helm of the Malay state.The apparent a-historical characteristics of the Malay sources was the key to obtaining legitimation from the wider Malay society. The cultural symbols used in the Sejarah Melayu and Hikayat Raja Pasai were projected specifically to indoctrinate Malay society into accepting the political organisation of their state. Cultural symbolism of this nature consisted of various forms of mythical writings centred around flora, fauna, Islam, geopolitics, the cosmos and the Malay ruler. It played a socio-psychological role in the Malay world by casting a positive light on an otherwise depressing reality of terrirorial defeat and moral degradation. The Malay kerajaan historian, whose writings were commissioned by the royal family, perceived history with one main aim in mind: to justify his ruler's continued place as the state's leader amidst political chaos. This work maintains that similar socio-cultural symbolism still exists in current Malaysian polity, suggesting that it is a continuum of pre-colonial elite political legitimation justification for governance.

JEBAT, 2019

An "indigenous" international relations (IR) theoretical model is lacking for the study of Asia. ... more An "indigenous" international relations (IR) theoretical model is lacking for the study of Asia. Existing Western IR theories have dominated and are inadequate. This is because they have neglected a contextualised constructivist approach to explain an Asian regional order. Minimal attention has been paid to cultural and ideational factors. In the context of this essay, the role of norms and identity will be highlighted, in evaluating the nature of India-Malaysia bilateral relations. Existing American and European theoretical paradigms claim universality in conceptualising regional developments. Rather, alternative conceptual models are vital to re-position our understanding of foreign policy and bilateral relations of Asian countries. In Asia, foreign policy does not have only one goal, i.e. the goal of maintaining the security of the state. Rather, it is aimed at achieving multiple goals, which involve trade-offs made by decision-makers (agents). In the case of India and Malaysia, these are not made within generalised theoretical bilateral or regional frameworks. This essay evaluates a more specific, theoretically-informed but contextually grounded approach to India-Malaysia bilateral relations. We look closely at Mahathir Mohamad's "foreign policy 2.0" and Narendra Modi's "responsible foreign policy", paying special attention to their domestic socio-political contexts.

The water resources of Tibet and the Eastern Himalayas are of prime importance to India and China... more The water resources of Tibet and the Eastern Himalayas are of prime importance to India and China. Both India and China are water-stressed due to rapid population growth as well as poor storage planning and acute depletion of ground water reserves, all of which have resulted in a water scarcity crisis. This article analyzes tensions between India and China over the river that China refers to as Yarlung Tsangpo and to India, the Brahmaputra. China has already begun to build the Zangmu Dam in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, which was completed in October, 2015. Although India is outraged, this study suggests that war can be avoided, and that the alternative centers on multilateral cooperation because both China and India have the reciprocal need to share the available resource, without which both countries will certainly suffer dire human and economic consequences.

Keywords: Hydro hegemony, Yarlung Tsangpo, Brahmaputra,, geopolitics, Indian Ocean Region

This article focuses on the Indian Ocean regional order, particularly on the United States-India-... more This article focuses on the Indian Ocean regional order, particularly on the United States-India-China strategic triangle in the 21 st century. It addresses various initiatives of all three nations, including the concept of a maritime strategic triangle and the formation of a possible tri-polar regional order in the IOR, the Joint Strategic Vision for the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean Region, the One Belt One Road Asia-Pacific Free Trade Area, and the Pivot to the Indo-Pacific policy which have implications for maritime strategy and security in the region. The article hypothesizes that there has been a transition from a unipolar to a tri-polar system manifest by a triangular matrix, with a U.S.-India maritime partnership facing a rising China in the region, and that all three powers prefer an accommodative strategy with respect to one another. 1. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE INDIAN OCEAN REGION (IOR) Systemic configurations in different regions of the globe lend themselves to debates in the discipline of strategic studies and international relations. These concern, among others, the costs and benefits of various " polaric " orders. This means, a discussion on tripolarity in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is vital to understanding the current power entanglements that characterize this strategic body of water. The IOR comprises nation-states that border the Indian Ocean, and states that take an interest in the ocean itself. The latter are associated with the tributary water to the Indian Ocean as well as those landlocked states for which transit to and from the sea is oriented towards the Indian Ocean. We also include the 19 states that belong to the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC). In total, there are 51 states, 28 of which are Indian Ocean rim states, plus a further 10 that are coastal states of the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf, together with an additional 13 Indian Ocean landlocked states. The table below lists out these countries:

BERITA: Malaysia/Singapore/Brunei Studies Group Association for Asian Studies, Vol. 49 No. 1, 2023

History is an exercise of the imagination: how the past can be constructed, told and remembered, ... more History is an exercise of the imagination: how the past can be constructed, told and remembered, drawing inspiration from its traces. This panel critically examines four sets of sources, each representing a different genre of evidence, to offer new insights into the wider historical narratives of Singapore and Malaysia. These sources, however, are not recent discoveries or forgotten relics. On the contrary, they have been instrumental in strengthening dominant historical narratives that have played a part in nation and state-building efforts. This panel recovers underappreciated dimensions of power relations at play in the representation and preservation of these familiar sources. In doing so, the panel proceeds chronologically and illustrates the idea that novel perspectives on the histories of Singapore and Malaysia do not always require exhaustive dives into the archives or a peek into its still-declassified sections. Rather, by experimenting with different frames and questions on sources already in plain sight, the most basic exercise of historical imagination can still add rich textures to what we know of the past.

Sinergi: Journal of Strategic Studies & International Affairs, 2021

Journal of the Indian Ocean Region, 2017

BFM 89.9 The Business Station The Morning Brief, 2023

Last week the government signalled plans to amend the Universities and University Colleges Act 19... more Last week the government signalled plans to amend the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971, also known by its Malay acronym AUKU, to address complaints by students of administrative restrictions and financial constraints in carrying out activities on campus. Do the AUKU amendments go far enough to empower students or should we be looking to repeal the act entirely? Dr Sharifah Munirah Alatas, Visiting Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences, Indonesian International Islamic University.

BFM 89.9 The Business Station, 2020

Local university students were left stranded when they could not attend orientation due to a last... more Local university students were left stranded when they
could not attend orientation due to a last minute order
to close universities. Dr Sharifah Munirah Alatas,
Senior lecturer in Strategic Studies and International
Relations of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, shares
her views on how the situation could have been saved.

University of Oregon Engagement, 2021

1. Regional geopolitics (SEAsia) under the Biden administration (continuity or change?). 2. ASEAN... more 1. Regional geopolitics (SEAsia) under the Biden administration (continuity or change?).
2. ASEAN's response to the QUAD PLUS (the issue of "taking sides", "hedging", etc.)
3. SEAsia’s perception of US/Western "rhetoric" (e.g. "revisionist" China, US
"exceptionalism", "containment", "co-existence")
4. Considering and responding to Muslim voices in SEAsia.
5. IR Pedagogy in Asia/Future of Asian studies programmes in the US (“decolonising” IR,
knowledge production)

BFM 89.9 The Business Station, 2021

A News, Istanbul, Turkey, Dec 20, 2019

An interview I gave about the controversial KL Summit. Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed dre... more An interview I gave about the controversial KL Summit. Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed drew a lot of criticism for organising the Summit,, and the “snubbing” of the OIC. (Please view the facebook link attached; if there are problems, please contact me directly, via email).

Let’s Talk with Sharaad Kuttan, 2019

ASTRO Awani Broadcasting Network, 2019

Is Malaysia a conservative society? Unbanning books Influences that matter Does the new Pakatan ... more Is Malaysia a conservative society?
Unbanning books
Influences that matter
Does the new Pakatan Harapan Government represent a new beginning?

The Business Station, 2019

Teaching religions in schools

Business Radio Station, 2019

On reforms in primary, secondary and tertiary education; introduction of interfaith subjects/courses

Asian Defence Insights, 2022

The Malaysian government recently commented on the o?cial use of the national language, Bahasa Ma... more The Malaysian government recently commented on the o?cial use of the national language, Bahasa Malaysia (BM), internationally. It has been suggested that ASEAN adopt BM as its "second o?cial" language. Depending on how all ten member nations handle this, such a proposal could be an unnecessary distraction for ASEAN and an inconsequential, non-issue for the grouping. On February 25 2022, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob paid an o?cial visit to Thailand. The two leaders discussed bilateral ties, economic cooperation, and regional and international issues. He apparently spoke in Bahasa Malaysia (BM) at all o?cial functions in Bangkok. Reports also claimed that the Prime Minister said all Malaysians on o?cial duty should use BM internationally because "it is our language, there is no reason to feel 'awkward'". A month later, a second proposal was made, this time for BM to be made the "second o?cial" language of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). ASEAN has a "working", not an o?cial language. It is English. This is not the Vrst time Malaysian leaders made such proposals. In July 2017, a former PM proposed that BM be made the "main" language of ASEAN and become one of the world's "major mediums". This was less than a year before the nation's 2018 General Elections (GE14). In 2015, when Malaysia was the ASEAN chair, the then Communications and Multimedia Minister suggested that ASEAN should use BM as its "homogenous" language. He stated this at a seminar on the Malay language at a Malaysian public university. In 2011, the then Minister of Information, Communication and Culture made a similar suggestion when he visited Indonesia.

Free Malaysia Today, 2021

Glocal: Islamabad Policy Research Institute, 2021

Glocal Islamabad Policy Research Institute, 2021

Free Malaysia Today, 2020

Free Malaysia Today , 2020

Free Malaysia Today, 2020

The problems surrounding the nation’s language policy have lingered for decades. The endless deba... more The problems surrounding the nation’s language policy have lingered for decades. The endless debates continue, over the teaching of English, the positions of vernacular schools and of Bahasa Malaysia; the question of national patriotism and the rising unemployability of university graduates.

Free Malaysia Today, 2020

Malaysia experienced a long period of European colonisation since the early 16th century where we... more Malaysia experienced a long period of European colonisation since the early 16th century where we finally obtained independence in 1957. However, a colonial worldview still exists in our society today. This is obvious in both the gleeful praises and self-deprecating reprimands we publish about our universities, after the release of the annual world rankings.

Free Malaysia Today, 2020

Turkish Center for Asia Pacific Studies, 2020

Free Malaysia Today, 2019

Dr. Sharifah Munirah Alatas, 2020

Free Malaysia Today, 2019

Asia and Europe in the 21st Century: New Anxieties, New Opportunities, 2021

Book Description How are the rising mutual concerns of Asian and European countries shaping their... more Book Description How are the rising mutual concerns of Asian and European countries shaping their approaches to the international order? Contributors to this volume discuss emerging critical issues in International relations, including the Indo-Pacific constructs, China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and the progress of established regional security mechanisms like the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. They also compare western and non-western approaches to these issues, with a holistic perspective on the origins and evolutions of these approaches. Both the Indo-Pacific constructs and BRI present a remarkable set of opportunities for Europe as well as Asia. This book presents key implications of the changing politico-security dynamics in the two regions from the perspectives of both Asian and European scholars and theoretical traditions. A mustread for scholars of International Relations with a focus on relations between Asia and Europe.

Syed Hussein Alatas and Critical Social Theory, 2023

Southeast Asia, Infected and Interrupted: Elevating Critical Voices on the State of Human Rights and Peace in the Time of COVID-19, pp. 149-151, 2020

Malaysia/Singapore/Brunei Studies Group Association for Asian Studies, 2024

Letter from the Chair We are again looking forward to a strong line-up of panels and papers with ... more Letter from the Chair We are again looking forward to a strong line-up of panels and papers with Malaysia, Singapore, or Brunei content at this year's Annual Meeting of the Association of Asian Studies. The virtual meeting will be held on March 1, while the in-person conference will take place in Seattle on March 14-17. This year, the MSB Studies Group is sponsoring the panel "Race and Racialization in British Southeast Asia". This is one of four panels, one roundtable and 32 papers that have Malaysia, Singapore, or Brunei content as their primary or sole focus. In addition, there are two papers in the virtual session that is on Malaysia. In this issue of Berita, we provide all the panel details, chronologically.

Reform and Nation Building: Essays on Socio-Political Transformation in Malaysia, 2023

The Malaysian people have endured decades of economic decline, identity politics, and socio- poli... more The Malaysian people have endured decades of economic decline, identity politics, and socio- political uncertainty. The country has also experienced a decline in international credibility due to the 1MDB corruption scandal of global proportions. Since obtaining independence in 1957, Malaysia has had two historic general elections, the first in 2018 (GE14), and the second in 2022 (GE15). GE14 brought the reformist Pakatan Harapan government into power. After the previous Barisan Nasional administration had dominated Malaysian politics for 61 years, it was obvious the people could no longer tolerate the deteriorating conditions in the country. However, due to both internal and external machinations, the Pakatan Harapan administration collapsed 22 months later. Subsequently, more than 2 years of socio-political instability ensued, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, lockdowns, economic hardships, the kleptocracy trials of Najib Razak, and increasing ethnic polarisation and identity politics. After GE15 in November 2022, there was renewed hope for Malaysians. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Pakatan Harapan again leads a new coalition government (dubbed the “unity” government). Sharifah Munirah Alatas discusses these developments in a series of short essays. She highlights the peoples’ hopes for crucial reforms and their lingering despair for what seems unattainable. Alatas focuses mainly on the meteoric rise in corruption, identity politics, and what she considers the dismal failure of the nation’s public universities. She questions the future of the nation but hopes for a revolutionary change in leadership attitudes.