Signals in the Noise: Notes on Penang, Malaysia and the World

by Ooi Kee Beng

Malaysia is no easy country to analyse, or even to understand. With so many narratives about the country, its peoples, and its histories, the noise generated — both online and off — can be as deafening as that of any rave party.

Since 2019, Malaysians have lived through a unique period in the country’s history. Amid the Covid pandemic and its many challenges, Malaysia experienced three prime minister changes, and countless other political dramas and plot twists.

Signals in the Noise is not just a book on politics, though. Moving with ease between different sociopolitical and socioeconomic discourses, this collection of Ooi Kee Beng’s columns and commentaries — published between 2019 and 2023 — showcases more than ever his talent as a historian and philosopher, alongside his prowess as a political scientist.

This wide-ranging collection is a must-read beginner's guide to Malaysian politics. It also highlights Ooi’s love for his hometown of Penang, his concern for the environment, and how the arts define a society and its perceptions of the world.

276 pages, Paperback

Published November 1, 2023

About the author

Dr Ooi Kee Beng was born and raised in Penang, Malaysia. He is the Deputy Director of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, editor of the Penang Monthly, and Visiting Associate Professor at the Department of Public and Social Administration at Hong Kong City University. He was also Adjunct Associate Professor at the Department of Southeast Asian Studies at National University of Singapore (2009–11). A prolific writer, his books include the award-winning The Reluctant Politician: Tun Dr Ismail and His Time (2006); In Lieu of Ideology: An Intellectual Biography of Goh Keng Swee (2010); Between UMNO and a Hard Place (2010) and The Eurasian Core and Its Edges: Dialogues with Wang Gungwu on the History of the World (2015).

Reviews

[Nadirah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5

This was a great and pretty diverse collection, though I think some of the essays could have been omitted since they tend to tread over the same grounds and don't add much. Also, the commentaries on Malaysia's politics can feel a bit dated (a common thing to encounter when it comes to such articles), so I tend to skim some of the ones that talk about similar topics. I especially enjoyed the interviews included in the collection.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

Despite being attractively packaged, this collection of recent essays reads old-fashioned, obvious, and repetitive; in the few instances when the writing gets interesting, the article ends. Perhaps more suited for boomers.