Malaysia: the Making of a Nation

by Boon Kheng Cheah

Focusing on Malaysia's four prime ministers as nation-builders, this study observes that each one of them was transformed from being the head of the Malay party to that of the leader of a multi-ethnic nation - reinventing themselves as an ""inclusive"" Malaysian nationalist.

Genres: History

264 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Boon Kheng Cheah was regarded as the foremost scholar on the modern political history of Malaysia as well as a pioneer of the country’s social and oral history. Although prioritizing the political history of a multiethnic, multicultural, and multireligious Malaysia, his spread of specialization ranged from the Japanese occupation, communism to oral history, peasant robbers, women in palace politics, and nation-building. He produced ground-breaking work that will remain as standard texts and authoritative references.

Reviews

[Satpal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Illuminating to say the least. Really paints the picture of how history repeats itself, in the local context.

My perspective of my country Malaysia, as a nation has changed irrevocably. The book is granular and detailed, but that's not what really matters. It's a good leaping off point for research, before picking up something to dive deeper.

But as a general reader, the book is insightful in showing how different national identities compete, how it shapes and forms the nation.

I cannot specifically pinpoint which chapter or passage made me look at Malaysia differently, it's more that you get to witness the development of a country in less than 240 pages that gave me a sense of perspective.

This book should complement Malaysian history readings in high school.

It is written fairly academically but it is still very accessible.