Johan penning second book on state of politics

KUCHING: Author Datuk Dr Johan Arriffin Samad is already working on his second book and, you guessed it, the subject matter will again be on Malaysia.

It will in essence dwell on East Malaysian dissatisfaction especially with regard to the state of politics in the country.

He said that his focus will remain on East Malaysia because he wishes to continue to be a voice for East Malaysia.

Johan intends to keep his second book going on the same trajectory as his first effort, ‘Unequal Partners: Race, Religion, Domination and Inequality in East Malaysia’ the first print of which sold out in about six months.

During a sharing session about his book at Pustaka Negeri Sarawak on Saturday (Dec 2), he reckoned its success probably had something to do with people being drawn to its title.

“When you talk about race and religion, people are very interested in the topic. That is my sub title. So people especially when we (say) East Malaysia, people are more interested.

“When it comes across that the writer is from East Malaysia, they (West Malaysians) are very interested with the content of the book,” he said of the book which was sold at Kinokuniya bookstores in Kuala Lumpur and also purchasable online on Shopee. .

A second print of the book will be out in January next year.

The book is a collection of Johan’s writings since 2017, and takes stock of how the nation has fared after 60 years.

He also discusses East Malaysia’s natural drift away from a KL-centric existence and forging a new Borneo identity.

Among those present at the sharing session on Johan’s book were former state Minister of Education, Science and Technological Research, Datuk Amar Michael Manyin Jawong, chairman of The Sarawak Initiatives (TSI), Sidi Munan and senior lecturer of UiTM Sarawak, Dr.Nur Aida Kipli.