Over 1,000 attend launch of RewcastleBrown’s book on 1MDB saga
KUCHING: Sarawak-born investigative journalist Clare Rewcastle-Brown launched her book The Sarawak Report: The Inside Story of the 1MDB Exposé in Petaling Jaya last Saturday to an overwhelming response.
The 528-page book details her struggle to find information about the state investment firm, and on how she was harassed, stalked and blacklisted for waging a campaign to expose corruption in Malaysia from her flat in the United Kingdom via her website Sarawak Report.
Activist Peter John Jaban, who was at the book launching, said in a statement yesterday that about 1,000 people flocked to the Sheraton Hotel for the event.
“There were many who were clutching four or five copies of the book. Some had queued long before the event started in order to meet the author herself and to have her sign their copy.
“These were just ordinary Malaysians who wanted to recognise the pivotal role this journalist had played in the next stage of our country’s development – paving the way for a greater democracy and a new Malaysian media,” said Peter, who used to anchor Rewcastle-Brown’s Radio Free Sarawak programme broadcast on shortwave.
He added that the 58-yearold author will not, however, be launching her book in person in Sarawak as she remains on the state’s immigration blacklist.
The Sarawak Report: The Inside Story of the 1MDB Exposé is retailing at RM80 at all major bookstores in Malaysia. It is distributed by Malaysian publisher Gerakbudaya Enterprise.