OOI KEE BENG’S reputation precedes him. His works are widely published in the country, regionally and even globally. He has authored and edited over 20 books on Malaysian politics, nation-building and political figures. Besides his illustrious career as an academician, researcher and writer, he now leads Penang Institute and serves as a senior visiting fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.

Most notably, Ooi continues to share his insights through Penang Monthly, Penang Institute’s flagship magazine, and through his regular column, Picking on the Present, in The Edge.

What distinguishes Ooi from others is his ability to manoeuvre the nuances and breadth of Malaysia’s dramatic politics, while connecting them to broader trends on a regional and global scale. Yet, on another dimension, perhaps the most striking aspect of his writing, is how deeply it resonates with readers—one might even say he writes as if speaking directly to them.

Moulding Perspectives

Back in 2017, when Ooi was appointed the Executive Director of Penang Institute by Lim Guan Eng, then Chief Minister of Penang, he only had one focus—making Penang Institute the top think tank in Malaysia. And that he did, strengthening policymaking in Penang and Malaysia by drawing on his three decades of experience in studying nation-building in Asia and analysing Malaysian politics. Through publications like Issues and Monographs, Ooi shares research conducted by Penang Institute’s researchers with state assemblymen, members of parliament and the public regarding policy-relevant matters related to Penang, Malaysia and the region.

At the launch of his book, The Reluctant Nation: Malaysia and Its Vain Quest for Common Purpose, at the George Town Literary Festival organised by Penang Institute, Ooi said how we judge the unity government cannot be without consideration for the situation that the world is in today.

“The world is changing, and this is also a time for Malaysia to change,” he said. The changing world means that we are in exceptional times where exceptional possibilities are possible, and that is why Anwar needs to adapt nation-building to the new global context, he elaborated.

Ooi also stressed that Malaysians should consider governance a largely technocratic process, rather than succumbing to emotional rhetoric.

“Right now, as geo-economics undergo great changes, Malaysia’s unity government feels the imperative—and sees a window of opportunity—to adapt and to be proactive where international trade is concerned.”

It is important to ensure domestic tensions inherited from decades of a restrictive and divisive notion of nationhood do not upset the creation of a healthier national narrative. In his opinion, a healthier nation is less introverted, less provincial, more dynamic and more inclusive.

“There are good reasons why Malaysia was born a federation. The point is not for such a creation to be centralised as quickly as possible, but the opposite. That means we should have allowed the various parts, the various states, the various communities to embrace Merdeka as a personal treasure, and be given resources and collective support to develop their special traits and their economic ambitions.

“The centre’s job should be, firstly, to facilitate lower levels of government, and secondly, to exercise damage control and even out income and opportunity gaps for national growth where needed. Not easy. But no alternative is easy in any case,” said Ooi.

“Merdeka means independence, but for whom?” he questioned. “That question may appear to be an ideological one, but it is simply about the potential for growth of each citizen now liberated, and who should be aided in pursuing their potential. It is not merely independence for parties and politicians, who claim the right to represent fellow citizens and their prescribed identities,” he said.

Ooi further explained that statehood has been understood to be a search to find manifestation for some communal essence, some inherent nationhood, instead of being an inclusive opportunity for liberated citizens to blossom through the creation of a facilitating state that functions technocratically to empower citizens.

“For this to work, nationhood and statehood have to be understood as a thing of the future, not of the past. A new nation is more a greenfield project than a brownfield project, where identities are concerned.”

The Reluctant Nation

Ooi’s latest publication, The Reluctant Nation, critiques Malaysia as a “nationally narcissistic” country. The eponymous reluctance stems from a host of reasons: the inability to decide, a lack of power, the absence of clear and realistic goals, or even a conscious strategy to maintain the status quo. Meanwhile, Ooi’s idea of nation building is generating a sense of common purpose among key stakeholders in society, whether in achieving a homogenous society or a pluralistic one.

Ooi’s thoughtful analyses and kaleidoscope of wisdom encourage readers to reflect on the long-term implications of governance decisions and the potential for building a more resilient and equitable society.

Tanjong Bunga State Assemblyman, Zairil Khir Johari effectively sums up Ooi’s commentaries as “always making for interesting reading”.

“Not just because he likes to challenge existing norms, but also because of his philosophical worldview. His musings are often allegorical, and one can almost imagine thought bubbles forming as he paints his canvas with words.”

“More importantly, they are written with a keen sense of aspiration—always reminding us that there is something to look forward to and that, at the end of it all, the struggle is worth it.”

The Edge’s op-ed editor, Rash Behari Bhattacharjee, similarly acknowledges Ooi’s incisive perspectives in his monthly column, where he frequently revisits the issue of nation-building.

In 2012, Ooi posited that endless policy making had become the new game in town—and across the country. This, he argued, points to a growing urgency for decentralisation.

Allen Tan, former managing director of The Habitat Group and prominent environmentalist, said that Ooi’s greatest strength, when it comes to politics and Malaysian life, is that he brings an international perspective to the table amidst the often opaque nature of local political discourse.

“His analyses are grounded in historical context and in comparative insights from other nations, which gives his arguments a depth that is often lacking in Malaysian commentary,” he said. “He doesn’t pull his punches, and he shares his insider’s perspective utilising language that resonates just as well in halls of powers as it does with the person on the street or in the kopitiam.”

Tan added that there is no better guide, advisor and friend to “help us make sense of it all and to help us navigate the road ahead in this rapidly changing world fraught with global uncertainties brought about by multiple disruptive forces.”