The Long Nightmare - My 17 Years As A Political Prisoner, book launch by Said Zahari

Said Zahari, a former anti-colonialist newspaper editor detained for 17 years without trial under the Internal Security Act in Singapore, launches the English edition "The Long Nightmare" and the Malay edition "Dalam Ribuan Mimpi Gelisah" of his memoir in Kuala Lumpur on Monday 16th July, 2007. While the Chinese edition was launch at the Southern College in Johor, on 1st July 2007 with introductory speech by Dr Lim Hock Siew, a founding member of the PAP who broke ranks in 1961 to form the Barisan Sosialis, but was subsequently arrested and detained without trial for 20 years from 1963 to 1982 under ISA in Singapore (Which make him the second longest-held political prisoner in Singapore after Chia Thye Poh). Said Zahari is now a Permanent Resident of Malaysia, he still retain his Singapore citizenship. He will be in Singapore soon to promote the book. It is unlikely that the Singapore Government will impose any official ban, but local distributors and retailers may be fearful of carrying the title. I call up Borders at Wheelock Place for this book, but no luck... I will get it when I'm back in KL.

Said Zahari first book, 'Dark Clouds At Dawn', was published in 2001 and is available in Singapore. The documentary' Zahari's 17 Years', made by Martyn See about his years in detention, has been banned by the Singapore Government. But you can watch it on google video.

Encouraged by Said Zahari to unveil the other side of history, Singapore’s Dr Lim Hock Siew has also decided to publish his memoirs soon. We will anticipate this memoirs by him which will add more detailed event on the history of Singapore politic . You can read it here at Malaysiakini.

This book is now available in Malaysia retailing at RM$25. I found out about Select Books in Singapore arranging to stock it but there is no confirmation yet?

Also read related book " Ousted! by Patrick Keith (Media Masters 2005) " the Book reviewer at Paul Karl Lukacs: How To Make Enemies and Alienate People

Tags|Books|Politic|Malaysian|Hatzputra

harry potter and the deathly hallows book 7 fully shared online

Somebody at The Pirate Bay transcribed and released a pdf file of the new 7th book of author, JK Rowling " Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows " - it was also DIGGed. Apparently NY Times - Michiko Kakutani, reviewed this same book, bought illegally online before the release date tomorrow. With all this file floating around the net, it was even put up on Blogspot for online reading.

This Sunday, I will get a copy at my favorite bookstore, Borders - Wheelock Place. My nephew will love this last book added to his collection. Go and buy your own copy now!

Tags|Books|Harry Potter|Malaysian|Hatzputra

The Reluctant Politician: Tun Dr Ismail and His Time

Finally . . . this long-awaited biography of my favourite Malaysia's powerful Home Affairs Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman, who passed away of a heart attack on 2 August 1973. It is based on his private papers and on numerous interviews with his relatives and with people who knew him well, including Ghafar Baba, Musa Hitam, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, Robert Kuok, Lee Kuan Yew and Ghazalie Shafie. New perspectives are provided about the struggle for independence, Malaysia's relationship with Singapore, the origins of Southeast Asian regionalism, the internal conflicts of the ruling party UMNO, MCA-UMNO ties, the fatal illness of Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, the May 13 riots, and the New Economic Policy. This book contains not only new facts about Malaysian and Singaporean history, but also insights into the processes of decolonization and nation building.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Reluctant Politician: Tun Dr Ismail and His Time
Preliminary pages by author, Ooi Kee Beng
2006 311 pages
ISBN 978-981-230-424-7; 981-230-424-X S$29.90/US$19.90
ISBN 978-981-230-425-4; 981-230-425-8 S$59.90/US$39.90

I: MERDEKA OR MEDICINE?
1. The Acting Prime Minister Dies
2. Life before Politics
3. UMNO and the Road to Merdeka
4. Positioning Malaya in the World
5. The Making and Partitioning of Malaysia

II: REMAKING MALAYSIA
6. Forced from Retirement
7. A Lack of Time
8. Nailing Things into Place
List of Abbreviations
Bibliography
Index
Photographs

Tags|Books|Politic|Malaysian|Hatzputra

handbook for bloggers and cyber-dissidents

Blogs get people excited. Or else they disturb and worry them. Some people distrust them. Others see them as the vanguard of a new information revolution. Because they allow and encourage ordinary people to speak up, they’re tremendous tools of freedom of expression. Bloggers are often the only real journalists in countries where the mainstream media is censored or under pressure. Only they provide independent news, at the risk of displeasing the government and sometimes courting arrest.

Reporters Without Borders has produced this handbook to help them, with handy tips and technical advice on how to to remain anonymous and to get round censorship, by choosing the most suitable method for each situation. It also explains how to set up and make the most of a blog, to publicise it (getting it picked up efficiently by search-engines) and to establish its credibility through observing basic ethical and journalistic principles.
click here for PDF, download page

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