Singapore launch also nixed, says editor for book on Pak Lah

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 12 — The Singapore launch for a book on Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has been cancelled by its editors, who earlier postponed a companion event in Kuala Lumpur due to the growing controversy over the tome.

On Saturday, its editors decided to postpone the launch here, citing concerns over its “politicisation” and sensationalisation by media organisations in their reportage of certain portions of the book.

Today, one of the book’s two editors, Prof James Chin, confirmed with The Malay Mail Online that the Singapore launch has also been cancelled.

“Yes… since KL is not going ahead, Singapore will have to wait,” Chin wrote in email response.

He further noted that the Singapore event was contingent on the timing of the KL launch, according to a statement during the weekend.

“We hope to hold a panel discussion about the book, with multiple perspectives from different speakers, in Singapore and elsewhere after the official KL launch,” in a letter signed Chin and fellow editor Bridget Welsh.

“Awakening: The Abdullah Years in Malaysia”, a book on Abdullah’s (picture) or “Pak Lah’s” short reign as prime minister who succeeded Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, features an exclusive interview where the usually quiet man finally speaks out against his detractors.

In the short few days following its release, the book dominated headlines in the media, with heavy focus given to Pak Lah’s words on Dr Mahathir and what the former prime minister described as “unwarranted attacks” on his person that eventually led to his ouster.

Politicians including Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, whom Abdullah replaced as deputy prime minister on January 29, 1999, as well as former minister Datuk Azid Ibrahim have also commented on Abdullah’s comments published in the book.

The Singapore event had also stirred further controversy when it was discovered that Anwar’s daughter, Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar, had been invited to officiate the August 30 launch.

Today, Chin denied that Nurul’s scheduled attendance had contributed to the cancellation of the Singapore launch, and repeated the hope that the public will read the book in its entirety before making any comments.

Meanwhile, Nurul Izzah said the media frenzy on the book should be viewed positively.

“… I believe at the least, all the brouhaha has stimulated interest in an academic piece of work and for that alone, everyone should celebrate,” the PKR vice-president was quoted as saying by news site Malaysia Chronicle.

On Saturday, Welsh and Chin noted in their open letter that some media outlets had wrongly categorised “Awakening” as “Pak Lah’s book”.

They pointed out that this was inaccurate as the book was a collection of multiple views from different persons, including politicians across the divide and academic observers.

Despite the postponement of the launch, the duo said book will remain available at book stores nationwide.

Singapore launch also nixed, says editor for book on Pak Lah