The Malay Dilemma

Written by Dr Mahathir Mohamad and first published in 1970, in the direct aftermath of the 13 May 1969 racial riots — one of the darkest and most consequential events in Malaysia's post-independence history. Mahathir wrote it while he was actually outside government, having just been expelled from UMNO for his outspoken criticism of Tunku Abdul Rahman's leadership.

The book was considered so racially inflammatory and politically dangerous that the Malaysian government banned it outright shortly after publication. It stayed banned for over a decade — only lifted in 1981, the same year Mahathir became Prime Minister. That timing alone tells you how directly his personal political rise and this book are intertwined.

Used in relatively in good condition. Expect some tanning in the pages of the book