Summary

This substantial book examines key economic, political and social aspects of Malaysia at the turn of the new century. It covers the years of rapid growth and dramatic structural change leading up to the 1997 financial crisis, and the subsequent adjustments which enabled the economy to resume its vigorous advance. The authors critically address affirmative action policies aiming to help Malays enter the modern economy and make income distribution more equitable while reducing poverty. They look at case studies of persisting poverty amidst economic progress, and also scrutinize the development of East Malaysia with its special problems away from the centre of power in Kuala Lumpur.

The authors review the direction of politics after Prime Minister Mahathir, as well as exploring Malaysia's foreign, education, and labour policies. They canvass the idea of a 'new Malay' better adapted to modern society, investigate the position of the Chinese, examine the struggle for women's rights within the religious framework of Islam, and discuss the contributions of Malaysian NGOs to ongoing changes. They finally draw together crucial issues facing Malaysia in the 21st century.

The contributors, who are leading scholars in their spheres, have produced a wide ranging and comprehensive guide to the economy and society of Malaysia. This book will be of great value and interest to students and scholars of Asian economics, development and social studies.

Choice Review

This anthology of 16 specially written articles by experienced scholars discusses the political and social changes in Malaysia since the period of rapid growth and structural change. The articles, well written and interdisciplinary in approach, cover a range of topics, from income distribution and poverty, economic crisis, and structural changes in the manufacturing industry to the struggle for women rights. Data used is quite recent, and contributors try to project Malaysia's current economic scene into the new century. Some crucial topics are conspicuous by their absence, e.g., agriculture and plantations. There is also much variation in the scope and quality of coverage in various articles, which is often the case in edited works. In his introduction and conclusion, editor Barlow, an Australian academic, does an excellent job of providing summary and main points of various articles, which links the diverse topics covered. Overall, a welcome addition to the otherwise scanty literature on the Malaysian economy. Useful for academic, research, and professional collections on economic development in general and Southeast Asia in particular. J. S. Uppal SUNY at Albany