The Reluctant Politician
by Ooi Kee Beng

Book cover and details icassecretariat

Started reading 25 Jan 2007
Finished reading 7 Feb 2007

A must read for everyone who wants to know what makes this man such a different person from the rest of the politicians of his day. Even at the present time, we cannot see any signs of someone who can take over his mantle. His integrity is par excellence. His dedication to the country, the sacrifices. All of these traits is his alone. It is such a loss. But we can only lament and speculate how Malaysia would have been if only this man was at the helm longer. A loss, a great loss.

As It Is...An Ode to a Decade of Hidden Issues
by Vasanthi Ramachandran

Book cover and details pelanduk

Started reading 15 Jan 2007
Finished reading 24 January 2007

A collection of essays written by the author, a newspaper columnist with the New Straits Times. The book covers a wide range of topics from the state of the country, the education system as well as women's issues. The points covered in each article is still relevant today and most probably will still be hot topics in the future. The author does present her views in a clear voice and tries to take the middle path. She does feel strongly on certain issues but it is not written in an angry voice. More of a level headed commentator.

Mengapa Kami Bantah
Editor Dr Abdullah Hassan

Book cover and details romantis

Started reading 7 Jan 2007
Finished reading 14 Jan 2007

A collection of papers on the reasons why the authors are against the teaching of science and mathematics in English. Basically they are not against the English Language itself but the emphasis is more on the erosion of the Malay Language's role in Malaysia. The seeds starts from the education system itself. There seems to be an about turn in the National Language's role in Malaysia when the Ministry of Education gives the edict that English must be used in teaching science and mathematics.

After all the effort made to use Bahasa Malaysia from the primary to university level, this about turn seems such a slap in the face to the language. No one denies the importance of English but blaming the poor results in the education system to the language used seems to be neither here nor there. The methods used in teaching English itself needs urgent scrutiny and remedy as most students who have learned the language for at least nine years from primary one to secondary three do not exhibit the minimum competence in using the language.

What chances are there for these students to improve their performance in science and mathematics with a poor command of English? That is the crux of the matter. English or any other language is a tool whereas Bahasa Malaysia is the National Language of this country and must be accorded its due place in every aspect of our lives.

Look at all the successful non-English speaking countries. They did not reach that status by neglecting their own languages. Unfortunately we do not have the political will to defend the important role the National Language plays in the progress of the nation.

A lost cause unless those in power can see the other side of the coin.

The Inheritance of Loss
by Kiran Desai

Book cover and details mph

Started reading 25 Nov 2006
Finished reading 26 Dec 2006

Difficult to put down once the plot thickens. The premise is quite simple. Friendship between two unlikely couple that blossoms into love. There is also the grandfather, a retired judge, who still lives as if he was in his prime. The young couple face challenges that are a product of the historical make-up of their country. The opposite forces that put them together are also the same forces that pull them apart.

Parallel to this love episode between the two main characters, we also have a son torn between loyalty to the motherland and the pull of a better life in good old USA. The land of milk and honey is not all that it is touted to be. There are trials and tribulations awaiting those who are fool hardy to try their luck there. Some do make it to the top but there are countless others who fall on the wayside.

The juxtaposition between the two stories is vivid and in the end, the historical baggage is thrown away, for better or worse.