Seeds of Dissent

Book excerpt: Selected Essays on Political Reforms and Social Change. SEEDS OF DISSENT is a collection of 55 essays by Khoo Ying Hooi. It engages a variety of political questions rooted within the contentious terrain of culture and power in Malaysia. These essays critically speak to the multiple ways in which the dominant political power shapes and perpetuates widespread social injustice. The central argument of these essays on Malaysian politics and society is the growing climate of repression. Events in the past decade, such as the 2008 and 2013 general elections, and protest movements such as Bersih, Hindraf and many others, have changed the national conversation. Spanning 2012–2014, this timely collection not only provides deeply unique and thought-provoking political insights into understanding Malaysian politics and society but also guides the reader to rethinking the role of dissenting voices in shaping the future of the country.