John R. Malott, former US Ambassador to Malaysia, writes that there is a tendency among Americans to hold an idealized image of Malaysia as a successful multi-racial and multi-religious paradise, an Asian economic dynamo, and a stable and moderate Muslim democracy. However, there has been a failure to notice the internal political changes unfolding within that country over the past few years, which culminated in the Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9.

The views expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of the East-West Center or any organization with which the author is affiliated.