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Paradise Lost: Mahathir & The End of Hope
- GenresPolitics
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2021
6 people are currently reading
65 people want to read
About the author
Dennis Ignatius
4 books12 followersHis Excellency Dennis Joachim Ignatius AMN, JSD, DSPN, B.A. (born May 11, 1949 in Penang, Malaysia) is a Malaysian diplomat and has served as High Commissioner to Canada since 2002.
He graduated in 1972 from the University of Malaya, shortly at thereafter being posted to the Malaysian High Commission to the United Kingdom, then the Embassy to the People's Republic of China. He served as a counsellor at the Malaysian Embassy to the United States, and Ambassador to Chile. He is married to Cherry Ignatius.
Dennis Ignatius is a Pentecostal Christian, which he converted to in 1986. He has authored one book, Fire Begets Fire, on the subject of passionately pursuing God.
He graduated in 1972 from the University of Malaya, shortly at thereafter being posted to the Malaysian High Commission to the United Kingdom, then the Embassy to the People's Republic of China. He served as a counsellor at the Malaysian Embassy to the United States, and Ambassador to Chile. He is married to Cherry Ignatius.
Dennis Ignatius is a Pentecostal Christian, which he converted to in 1986. He has authored one book, Fire Begets Fire, on the subject of passionately pursuing God.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 15, 2021
Five stars for the aims and ideals expressed by the book; 2 for the writing and backgrounding - it's just one long repetitious polemic with insufficient backgrounding that becomes tiresome after a while. Still I hope it makes an impact and inspires those in a position to improve things and help malaysia fulfil its immense potential.
February 12, 2022
DENNIS IGNATIUS - PARADISE LOST : MAHATHIR & THE END OF HOPE 9.5/10
Book 6 of 2022.
The year was 1988, I was in primary school. My composition of friends were somewhat equivalent to the national distribution of races - Malays, Chinese and Indians in the years before. However, 1988 proved to be a pivotal moment for me.
When we had religious classes, the group was divided, Malays attending Agama class, while the rest attended Moral class. After that session is over, we will all group together for the next class. There was one time, when we regrouped, I started talking to my Malay buddies (I am still friends with them and because my friendship was at that age, they remain my friends until today, although I removed a handful for being extremist in their thinking), and they started ignoring my existence. As I was moving from one Malay friend to another, one of them made the remark, "Jangan cakap dengan kafir." It was the first time I heard the word kafir. Indoctrination started at school, and at a young age.
This absolutely riveting read, a bullseye view on what is wrong with Malaysia, a country in regression on all fronts. Malaysia is descending into a failed state, corruption cesspool, incompetency of its government, religious dogma, malay supremacists, new levels of national debt, massive loss of foreign direct investments (just search online to read the exodus of MNCs, I warn you, it's a distressing read), racist and misguided policies.
We are in 2022 yet we have not moved into a cohesive nation, with needless language, culture, race and religious issues that are tearing us apart. Mahathir is surely to be blamed for this bigoted decay, ALL OF IT. Is it too late for us as a country to ever recover? We are no longer the nation we used to be, as each year goes by.
You may not agree with Dennis on everything, and some ultra-sensitive will not even give this book a chance due to years of brainwashing. It hurts me to say that I am a second class citizen, racism is institutionalized. I can become a citizen of another country and enjoy the rights of being a citizen, but not here. (Cue response - "balik ke India la")
Mahathir's (the irony is that he's of Indian descent) demented vision for the nation has been utterly ruinous of our future. The masses are being bamboozled under the guise of religion while the elites get away with daylight robbery as they plunder the nation at all. It is coming back to haunt all of us.
A highly recommended and an eye-opening book.
Book 6 of 2022.
The year was 1988, I was in primary school. My composition of friends were somewhat equivalent to the national distribution of races - Malays, Chinese and Indians in the years before. However, 1988 proved to be a pivotal moment for me.
When we had religious classes, the group was divided, Malays attending Agama class, while the rest attended Moral class. After that session is over, we will all group together for the next class. There was one time, when we regrouped, I started talking to my Malay buddies (I am still friends with them and because my friendship was at that age, they remain my friends until today, although I removed a handful for being extremist in their thinking), and they started ignoring my existence. As I was moving from one Malay friend to another, one of them made the remark, "Jangan cakap dengan kafir." It was the first time I heard the word kafir. Indoctrination started at school, and at a young age.
This absolutely riveting read, a bullseye view on what is wrong with Malaysia, a country in regression on all fronts. Malaysia is descending into a failed state, corruption cesspool, incompetency of its government, religious dogma, malay supremacists, new levels of national debt, massive loss of foreign direct investments (just search online to read the exodus of MNCs, I warn you, it's a distressing read), racist and misguided policies.
We are in 2022 yet we have not moved into a cohesive nation, with needless language, culture, race and religious issues that are tearing us apart. Mahathir is surely to be blamed for this bigoted decay, ALL OF IT. Is it too late for us as a country to ever recover? We are no longer the nation we used to be, as each year goes by.
You may not agree with Dennis on everything, and some ultra-sensitive will not even give this book a chance due to years of brainwashing. It hurts me to say that I am a second class citizen, racism is institutionalized. I can become a citizen of another country and enjoy the rights of being a citizen, but not here. (Cue response - "balik ke India la")
Mahathir's (the irony is that he's of Indian descent) demented vision for the nation has been utterly ruinous of our future. The masses are being bamboozled under the guise of religion while the elites get away with daylight robbery as they plunder the nation at all. It is coming back to haunt all of us.
A highly recommended and an eye-opening book.
January 14, 2022
Recently Malaysia has seen regressive downturn anathematised by unbridled corruption and graft. These wanton unscrupulous culture besets development, povert eradication and equality that we are hungry for. But leaders seem not very keen to change the situation. They happily take jolly ride in making money for themselves through bribery, embezzlement, cronyism and political patronage. If we are able to get rid these bunch of morons the way Gabriel wiped out Sodom and Gomorrah, Malaysia shall see it’s bright future. I hope the day will come soon because Malaysia is now an already failed state.
November 26, 2024
It was informative and exepliflies what information is extrpolated from the trove of policltical news. Personally, it stoked a strong feeling of nationalism and scepticism on the political climate in Malaysia. The attempt on ending it on a positive note became unconvincing after more than 200 pages of comprehensive account on the decline of the state of politics in Malaysia.
While comprehensive, it is slightly repetitive towards the end.
All in all, it was a satisfying read.
While comprehensive, it is slightly repetitive towards the end.
All in all, it was a satisfying read.
September 25, 2021
Fantastic book. Sceptical at first, but every page has cited authoritative and credible news sources which makes one convinced about the sad truth.
A very brave and honest review on race, religion and justification of corruption based on the former.
A very brave and honest review on race, religion and justification of corruption based on the former.
September 29, 2021
Excellent. Eye opener. A bold and searing indictment of this country’s political system. I am in complete agreement with the author’s Three Critical Reforms idea, where I believe the only thing that can save this nation from “implosion”. Overall, a brilliant work by Dennis Ignatius.
September 25, 2021
An easy but good read. Covers a wide spectrum of issues related to Mahathir and Malaysia. Highly recommended to Malaysian readers and those interested in Malaysian politics.
January 30, 2022
I'll give that it gives facts and an appreciation, yet it's bleak and therefore not an easy read. I completed it as I got the book and needed to know.
April 13, 2022
Opened my eyes to the shenanigans of Malaysian politics and how they are exactly like the Sultan of Selangor's painting of Parliament consisting of primates and frogs
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews