FACE OFF: A MALAYSIAN REFORMASI DIARY (1998-99)
By Sabri Zain (BigO Books)
CLICK
HERE for an interview with writer Sabri Zain
ISBN 981-04-2959-2
Price: The sacking of Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in September
1998 made headlines around the world. His arrest and trial were equally
controversial. These events also led to the rise of a Reformasi (reform)
movement that saw thousands of citizens take to the streets of Kuala Lumpur
demanding change, something unprecedented in the modern history of Malaysia.
Sabri Zain's FACE OFF: A MALAYSIAN REFORMASI DIARY (1998-99)
chronicles the sweeping political and social events that rocked Malaysia
in those tumultuous days. Consisting of writings over the Internet in
the year following the sacking, this is Sabri's eyewitness account of
the winds of social and political change that swept Malaysia in its wake
- the street demonstrations that were brutally put down by the authorities,
the twists and turns of the Anwar trial and the euphoric pro-reform rallies
by tens of thousands of people all across the country. Face Off captures,
in words, the spirit, moods, colour, excitement and hopes of ordinary
Malaysians caught in the wave of Reformasi demanding true democracy, freedom
and change. As the author poignantly puts it, the book is dedicated to
the OKTs (Orang Kena Tuduh) - detainees who were beaten and arrested during
the demonstrations.
For English-speaking readers, Sabri Zain was the journalist who constantly
stood out among the numerous writers who covered the event on the Internet.
His observations were keenly noted; his sense of fair play highly vaulted
and his playful satire much appreciated.
As prominent Malaysian social commentator Rehman Rashid (who now runs
www.agendamalaysia.com - a site for the thinking Malaysian - and whose
own A Malaysian Journey is a must-read) says in the book's Foreword: "Sabri
began writing even before Anwar was arrested, taken into custody and beaten
black-and-blue by the then Inspector-General of Police. Posting his reports
on the Internet throughout the tempestuous months that followed, Sabri
became an icon of the Reformasi phenomenon. With a keen reporter's eye
unclouded by professional cynicism, and wholly devoid of conscientious
objectivity, Sabri sallied forth to the frontlines with notebook in hand
(and discomfitingly often, hapless Significant Other in tow) to record
what comes across as little short of the Second Coming.
"There is no ambiguity in what follows. None. There's a Hero and his
cohort; a Villain and his. The thought that Anwar might be guilty as charged
does not make even a token appearance. The question doesn't arise of Sabri
Zain standing entirely on one side of the fence. There is no fence. And
he doesn't stand. He capers merrily...
"The Reformasi Diary, however, is a classic. No one's ever done this
in this country, or perhaps anywhere - perhaps because it simply couldn't
have been done. This giddy mixture of narrative innocence driven by a
righteous political conscience makes for a remarkable first-person chronicle
of the most significant Malaysian political development in a generation.
"Sabri was there, and now here he is. You hold in your hands a gem of
Malaysian narrative journalism. Engagingly, passionately written, it is
both a record of and participant in the events it describes. Buy it, keep
it, give it to your friends. Ten, 20, 50 years from now, someone will
still be grateful you did."
SABRI ZAIN
Sabri Zain is, what they call, an independent Internet writer. His writing
has appeared in a variety of Malaysian Internet news groups, Reformasi
websites, email discussion lists and webzines. His articles have also
appeared in Malaysian publications such as the Opposition newspaper, Harakah,
and social reform magazine, Aliran. Trained as a civil engineer, he turned
to writing when he joined the Star, one of Malaysia's leading English-language
dailies, as a journalist. Since then, he has worked in the communications
field for a multinational computer company and an international nature
conservation organisation. Sabri now works in Cambridge, United Kingdom,
but continues to write on political events in Malaysia on the Internet,
especially political satire. He admits to being a devout Trekker, fancies
himself as a scholar of Malayan history, flies World War II aircraft on
his computer, looks after a pride of cats and, he claims, practically
lives on the Internet.
QUOTABLE QUOTES
"If one has read John Reed's Ten Days That Shook The World then Sabri
Zain's reportage on Reformasi has shaken the Malaysian's chattering class
world view. With sharp eyes, Sabri blends chic humour and satire to document
and reconstruct Reformasi. After reading this, Malaysia will no longer
be the same." "Sabri Zain is an original. He was one of the few and reliable voices
on the events in Malaysia's Reformasi. His reports brought you into the
drama of the actual event. They read like Tom Wolfe's new journalism,
ace reporting that felt like exciting fiction. These rare reports in English
are important." BigO BOOKS
BigO Books is proud to present FACE OFF, Sabri Zain's account of an
event that not only rocked Malaysia but whose reverberations are still
deeply felt and hotly debated today.
BigO Books is an imprint of BigO magazine, published by Options Publications
Pte Ltd.
ORDERING DETAILS
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