'The Malaysia That Could Be' author Datuk Seri Kalimullah Hassan poses with copies of the book during the launch in Kuala Lumpur.
KUALA LUMPUR: A book by former New Straits Times Press (NSTP) Sdn Bhd deputy chairman Datuk Seri Kalimullah Hassan was launched on Friday.
Titled "The Malaysia That Could Be", the 569-page book features a collection of his columns written from 2004 to 2008 when he served at the newspaper there.
"What is written is a reflection of what Malaysia is all about. It's a reflection of the way politics has defined our country.
"It is a reflection of how we as a nation are on a slippery slope and how we can we can end up in the abyss if we do not right ourselves," he said in his speech at the book launch at the ECM Libra building here.
Explaining the title, Kalimullah said Malaysia is a country with "great potential", but is seeing its best and brightest leave because of politics, as well as "ethnic and religious considerations".
Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah was also present at the launch.
In an invitation e-mail to The Star, Kalimullah described the book as his perspective of events during Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's tenure as Prime Minister from October 2003 to April 2009.
Abdullah stepped down after the 12th general election for Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to take over.
"It is my perspective of events during that period, from the great hopes that we harboured when Abdullah became Prime Minister to the frustrations and dismay of the subsequent years when little changed," Kalimullah said.
Hardcover copies of the book are priced at RM100 while paperback copies will go for RM80 each.
The book, which was published in 2015, will be available in a limited amount at MPH bookstores.
He said all proceeds from the book's first print run, amounting to more than RM130,000, and future sales will be donated to two different charities.
According to the book, Kalimullah started as a journalist with the National Echo in September 1979 before joining The Star newspaper as a senior journalist from 1980 to 1987.
He has also worked for Time Magazine, Reuters and Singapore Press Holdings.
Kalimullah is also ECM Libra chairman.
