Religion, Politics & Medicine

Book Review: Zaid Ibrahim’s In Good Faith, Zaid Ibrahim Publications, Kuala Lumpur, 2007, 364 pages; Softcover, RM 30.00, ISBN: 9789834352103

I just finished reading the book written by very well known MP and the owner one of the largest lawyer firm in Malaysia, Zaid Ibrahim (currently the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department). My opinion about him has totally changed when i read his entire articles. It only took me 3 days to finish the 364pages. Very interesting. His idea is not very alien to me since i already embrace the idea of libertarian and the liberals about religion, philosophy, politics, law, democracy, freedom and many things.

Interestingly, he also believes the idea of Islam as a strong religion and he never embrace the idea of Islam liberal. He is not a scholar. However, as a person that has been dealing with many people, he has pragmatic ideas of religion where he try to promote unity in Malaysia. He also professes the unity of all multi-ethnic in Malaysia. Surprisingly, he believes that all the parties in National Front (BN) should emerge as one party and UMNO should lead the single party.

He is one of the member in UMNO and MP that I respect who has vocal voice and very strong in his argument. I can’t agree more than most of his idea except that he managed to put his idea concisely with good argumentation and examples. (Of course, he is a senior lawyer and i’m just a 3^rd year medical student).

I recommend every single Malaysian to read his book. Very fresh idea, and I hope all his idea can be seen in the new government of Malaysia since he has been elected as the Minister in the prime minister’s department. I hope he will held the position in monitoring the parliament, and help to elevate the status of our democracy. Someone please translate his book to malay language so that more malay audience can read it?

2 articles that have new ideas for me are;

1)Bring back the municipal election

2) Liberating the Malays where this is the continuation of the books written by Tun Dr Mahathir, the Malay Dilemma and also written by Dr Bakri Musa, The Malay Dilemma: The revisited.

Now currently, i’m reading the reluctant politicians (Tun Dr Ismail) and Malaysia: lost in transition by Ooi Kee Beng. Also ‘The Strategi Perniagaan Negara China by Ann Wan Seng (not a very good book. Repeating same old ideas) and also the art of war by Sun Zhu.

Hmm, i always got something that hinders me from reading the surgery books. Sighed..

Another better review about the book