“Malaysia – Truly Asia!” This is the slogan proudly splashed in advertisements throughout the world in efforts by the Malaysian government to attract tourists. Split in two by the South China Sea, Peninsular Malaysia (or Malaya as it was then known) achieved independence from British rule in 1957. Sabah (formerly British North Borneo), Sarawak, and Singapore joined Malaya to form a Federation called Malaysia in 1963, with Singapore leaving the Federation less than two years later.

Malaysia’s approximately 28.3 million people’ are comprised of about 61.3% Muslim (most of whom are ethnic Malays). The rest of the population consists of 19.8% Buddhists (mainly ethnic Chinese), 9.2% Christians (consisting of ethnic Chinese, Indians, and natives of Sabah and Sarawak) and about 6.3% Hindus (almost all of whom are ethnically Indian or Sri Lankan). Malaysia is indeed a microcosm of the cultures and traditions of Asia. Yet, a government entrenched in power ever since independence – for more than fifty years – and the onslaught of a politicized form of Islam by politicians anxious to hide corrupt practices under a miasma of religiosity have caused many of the institutions of democratic governance in Malaysia to fail.

It is in this context that a group of friends and I – with the assistance of a much larger group of young, idealistic, and energetic people – are hoping to empower ordinary Malaysians to understand their rights and to force our elected representatives to be accountable to the people and govern according to the rule of law. We try to do this through a website / blawg called LoyarBurok, a body called the Malaysian Centre for Constitutionalism and Human Rights and a movement called UndiMsia!

Presented at the at the Spring 2013 Wisconsin International Law Journal Symposium on A Comparative Perspective on Social justice Lawyering in Asia: Conditions, Practices, & Possibilities.