Malayland is a quick dip into Malaysia's identity politics

Malaysian writer Dina Zaman's work is based on interviews with activists and individuals of various stripes

- Zakir Hussain

MALAYLAND By Dina Zaman Faction Press and Ethos Books/ 176 pages/Paperback/E-book/$22

At a time when identity politics is on the rise globally, developments in Malaysia over the past few years ought to come as no surprise.

Religious conservatism is on the rise, ethnic nationalism is resurgent and the political landscape has become more fractious and polarised.

But few have delved into why these forces gain traction on the ground.

In her latest book Malayland, Malaysian writer Dina Zaman embarks on a valiant attempt to make sense of her country's recent trajectory, based on interviews with activists and individuals of various stripes, from protestors defending Malay rights to ardent PAS (Parti Islam Se-Malaysia) supporters.

Dina, daughter of a diplomat who spent many of her growing-up years abroad, has chronicled the changes in Malaysian and Malay society through her media columns for over two decades.

She has distilled her previous insights into two earlier books. I Am Muslim (2007) sought to demonstrate the diverse shades of Malaysian Muslims amid the binary notion of moderates versus fundamentalists. Holy Men, Holy Women (2017) explores Malaysia's many faiths and features Catholic nuns, Hindu temple officials and traditional healers from Sarawak, among others.