Karim Raslan has done it again. In his third collection of published essays, Karim tracks the tumultuous passage of Malaysian politics from 2003 till early October 2008. Ceritalah 3: Malaysia A Dream Deferred charts Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s departure from office and the rise of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. It goes on to chronicle the latter’s astounding victory in the 2004 polls followed by the gradual decline in his administration’s fortunes. The book then concludes with the historic March 8, 2008 general elections and its epochal implications.

Crisscrossing the country, Karim chronicles the hopes, dreams and fears of Malaysians from diverse backgrounds. He has spoken to people from all walks of life, including factory workers, politicians, journalists, lecturers, businessmen, car mechanics and even a media mogul¾weaving their views into his frank, unsparing essays.

Malaysia A Dream Deferred refers to the strange, transitional period that Malaysians now find themselves in. The nation possesses enormous potential but the current challenges are just as great. Karim talks of the dream of a better, fairer, more open politics¾a dream that remains as yet, unfulfilled.