Merryl Wyn Davies unravels the paradox that is Malaysia and Indonesia, Ziauddin Sardar reads the history of Kuala Lumpur  from the window of his apartment, Carool Kersten engages with a string of Indonesian intellectuals, Nazry Bahrawi reads some classic Southeast Asian texts, Ahmad Fuad Rahmat dissects a Malaysian demigod, Andre Vltchek thinks Indonesian Islam is anything but ‘tolerant’ and ‘moderate’, Shanon Shah dabbles with Malay magic, Rossie Indira laments the loss of classical Indonesian music, Jo Kukathas weeps at the emergence of religious intolerance in Malaysia, Linda Christanty ponders the genealogy of her (Muslim) name, and Vinay Lal questions Malaysia’s claims to be a genuinely pluralistic society.

Also in this issue: Iftikhar Salahuddin visits the Dome of the Rock, Hassan Mahamdallie is bowled over by a new biography of Malcolm X, Mohammad Moussa laughs at Christopher Hitchens, Samia Rahman watches ‘Argo’, a short story by Nabeela M. Rehman, three poems by Marilyn Hacker and Top Ten Malaysian Obsessions. 

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