The road to reform : Pakatan Rakyat in Selango

The general election of March 2008 marked an unprecedented moment in modern Malaysian political history. Voters turned away in significant numbers from the Barisan Nasional government that had exercised almost absolute authority at both federal and state levels since independence. Selangor was one of five state governments to come under the control of the newly-formed Pakatan Rakyat coalition-explicitly committed to a new politics and a reformist policy agenda. The Road to Reform is the first comprehensive introduction to the reform experience in Selangor. Organized around four core aspects of change – politics, economics, society and culture – the authors focus on both the achievements and the enduring difficulties in delivering on Pakatan Rakyat’s ambitions. This concise and accessible book should be compulsory reading for anyone concerned with the policies and politics of change and the state of Malaysia at a critically important crossroads.

Edited by Tricia Yeoh, with authors comprising Dr. Syed Husin Ali, Mustafa Kamal, Dr. Ooi Kee Beng, Dr. Wong Chin Huat, YB Khalid Samad, YB Tony Pua, YB Dr. Dzulkefly Ahmad, Mavis Puthucheary, Yeo Yang Poh, Prof. Aziz Bari, Dr. Farouk Musa, Dr. Ong Kian Ming, Rev. Sivin Kit, Sieh Mei Ling, Fahda Nur, Yong Poh Kon, Gurmit Singh, Colin Nicholas, Barjoyai Bardai, Andrew Khoo, and Abigail De Vries.