Ghost of Kamunting Past
The Internal Security Act (ISA), which had often been abused to silent dissenting voices against the State, was abolished in 2012 after many years of advocacy and lobbying by civil society groups and family members of the detainees. But what happened to the last group of ISA detainees after the law was abolished? Have our fundamental liberties and human rights progressed after the law was repealed? Where are we now as a society and where do we go from here?
Join us in a conversation with Syed Husin Ali on Saturday, 3 January to find out his take on these questions and to learn about his experience in Kamunting Detention Camp. Syed Husin is a senator from Selangor and an activist who has spoken out against ISA and written essays and books about it including Two Faces: Detention Without Trial and Memoir Perjuangan Politik Syed Husin Ali.
Other titles by Syed Husin include Ethnic Relations in Malaysia: Harmony and Conflict and The Malays: Their Promblems and Future.
MCCHR Resource Centre is open weekdays 9.30am-5.30pm and Saturdays 10am-1pm. For more information, visit our website.
Giving to the Resource Centre
MCCHR Resource Centre was started in 2012 with the aim of strengthening ownership, participation and representation of youths in Malaysia. To date, we have over 1,000 titles of books on democracy, human rights, indigenous peoples and other related subjects. There is also a good selection of books on Malaysian history and politics in our General Collection and Digital Library. These resources are made available to the public through our lending library.
You can help us expand our collections by making book donation or monetary contribution to the resource centre. View our Amazon Wish List to find books to donate or contribute online via Paypal below.
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Hacker, Hoaxer, Whistleblower, Spy: The Many Faces of Anonymous by Gabriella Coleman
Here is the ultimate book on the worldwide movement of hackers, pranksters, and activists that operates under the non-name Anonymous, by the writer the Huffington Post says “knows all of Anonymous’ deepest, darkest secrets.”
Half a dozen years ago, anthropologist Gabriella Coleman set out to study the rise of this global phenomenon just as some of its members were turning to political protest and dangerous disruption (before Anonymous shot to fame as a key player in the battles over WikiLeaks, the Arab Spring, and Occupy Wall Street). She ended up becoming so closely connected to Anonymous that the tricky story of her inside-outside status as Anon confidante, interpreter, and erstwhile mouthpiece forms one of the themes of this witty and entirely engrossing book.
The narrative brims with details unearthed from within a notoriously mysterious subculture, whose semi-legendary tricksters—such as Topiary, tflow, Anachaos, and Sabu—emerge as complex, diverse, politically and culturally sophisticated people. Propelled by years of chats and encounters with a multitude of hackers, including imprisoned activist Jeremy Hammond and the double agent who helped put him away, Hector Monsegur, Hacker, Hoaxer, Whistleblower, Spy is filled with insights into the meaning of digital activism and little understood facets of culture in the Internet age, including the history of “trolling,” the ethics and metaphysics of hacking, and the origins and manifold meanings of “the lulz.”—Verso
Readers may also be interested in these titles: No Place to Hide: Edward Snowden, the NSA and the Surveillance State (by Glenn Greenwald); Small Acts of Resistance: How Courage, Tenacity, and Ingenuity Can Change the World (Steve Crawshaw & John Jackson); and The Internet and Democratic Citizenship: Theory, Practice and Policy (Stephen Coleman & Jay G. Blumler).
US-China Relationship in 10 Conversations
America and China are the two most powerful players in global affairs, and no relationship is more consequential. How they choose to cooperate and compete affects billions of lives. But US-China relations are complex and often delicate, featuring a multitude of critical issues that America and China must navigate together. Missteps could spell catastrophe. In Debating China, Nina Hachigian pairs American and Chinese experts in collegial “letter exchanges” that illuminate this multi-dimensional and complex relationship. These fascinating conversations-written by highly respected scholars and former government officials from the US and China-provide an invaluable dual perspective on such crucial issues as trade and investment, human rights, climate change, military dynamics, regional security in Asia, and the media, including the Internet. The engaging dialogue between American and Chinese experts gives readers an inside view of how both sides see the key challenges. Readers bear witness to the writers’ hopes and frustrations as they explore the politics, values, history, and strategic frameworks that inform their positions. This unique volume is perfect for anyone who wants a deeper understanding of US-China relations today.—Oxford University Press
Also, check out our review of Debating China on LoyarBurok.
Indigenous peoples’ rights in Australia, Canada, & New Zealand
Orang Asli is a generic name given to the indigenous people living on the Malay Peninsula. Using extensive ethnographic data, Living on the Periphery reveals the way in which state-initiated development projects and the process of Islamization influence the life world of the Orang Asli in the name of national unity. The Malaysian government stands behind the Muslim Orang Asli and regards anyone resisting Islamization as a rebel against the nation state. The Islamization program that aims at state-based integration brought about large-scale socioeconomic changes and created class divides, splits, and disharmonies in the community. Conflicts escalated notably between the Muslims supported by the government and the non-Muslims that are subjected to repressive forces of the state.—Trans Pacific Press
For more resources on indigenous peoples, go to MCCHR Resource Centre Catalogue.
More activities at Pusat Rakyat LB
Apart from #UndiMsiaChats session with Syed Husin Ali, we will be having another session with Anas Alam Faizli, author of Rich Malaysia, Poor Malaysia. During the session on on Saturday, 10 January he will be talking about his book and income inequality in Malaysia. Anas is also one of the founders of Teach for The Needs (TFTN), Sekolah Falsafah and the Anti-TPPA coalition. The session is free and open to everyone.
For more activities at Pusat Rakyat LB, go to mcchr.org/agenda.
