Shattered Hopes Book Launch 

3 September 2024

​Rise of Asia Museum (RoAM) which is located at the iconic Haw Par Villa, is delighted to host the official launch of Shattered Hopes, the latest work by acclaimed author Romen Bose. This is the second book by Romen Bose, following the successful release of Final Reckoning in 2021. 

Event Details

The highly-anticipated event will be held on the 3rd of September at the Rise of Asia Museum at the iconic Haw Par Villa in Singapore at 6.30 PM. It promises to be an evening of profound insights into the evolving political landscape of Malaysia.

Drawing on interviews with first-hand sources in and outside the administration, official minutes and still classified documents, Shattered Hopes focuses on PH1.0’s rocky 22-months in power to tell the story of how a fledgling Government filled with so much promise and hope, was racked by internal power struggles and politicking even in its very first weeks in power, amid policy paralysis, racial politicking and the ultimate unwillingness of veteran Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to hand over power to his twice-anointed successor, Anwar Ibrahim.

In doing so, Shattered Hopes presents readers with a vivid blow by blow account of how broken promises, political patronage and trade-offs, economic dysfunction and racial polarization eventually became the defining characteristics of the promised New Malaysia.

The book launch event will start with an introduction to the book, followed by a reading by the author, Romen Bose. In Shattered Hopes, Bose masterfully captures pivotal moments in Malaysia's political history, dissecting its complexities with precision and empathy. His nuanced exploration of the nation's internal power struggles, policy paralysis, and racial politics offers readers a powerful lens to understand Malaysia's ongoing challenges.

About the Author
An international correspondent with over 22 years of reporting experience in the region, Romen Bose worked as a Political Communications Consultant for former Malaysian Premier Najib Razak for six years and was a close confidante to decision makers in the upper echelon of the country’s political elite. Before setting up his own consultancy, Romen was head of Asian social media at IHS Markit and worked as a senior foreign correspondent with French news agency AFP based in Kuala Lumpur. He was the founding president of the Foreign Correspondents Club of Malaysia and a senior producer with the English service of Al Jazeera International when it opened its regional base in Malaysia. Prior to this, Romen was the Indochina Bureau Chief for Channel News Asia and has also consulted for the United Nations. Romen has also researched and written extensively on the second world war and its impact on Southeast Asia.


About the RoAM Talk Series at Haw Par Villa
RoAM stands for the Rise of Asia Museum. It is an up-and-coming museum being conceptualised and developed in Haw Par Villa by Singapore History Consultants Pte Ltd.
RoAM aims to chart the modern rise of Asia and Asian entrepreneurship and help the world understand the new evolving Asia. Look forward to its official opening in February 2025!
RoAM Talks are a series of academic talks, conferences and conversations that focus on diverse topics such as history, politics, culture and society. It provides a platform for local and overseas academics to share their deep knowledge and expertise.
Pictures from the Shattered Hopes book launch on 3 September 2024: 

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