Hi! I am a Senior Lecturer and the Head of the Department of International and Strategic Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences in University of Malaya, Malaysia. I completed my PhD in Politics and Government examining social movements and democratization with a focus on the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih). My research areas are on NGOs, social movements, national human rights institutions, human rights and democratization with a regional focus on Southeast Asia/ ASEAN, especially Malaysia and Timor-Leste.
I was formerly a columnist in a prominent independent news website, The Malaysian Insider, that was forced to shut down by former prime minister Najib Razak’s administration in March 2016. In March 2015, I was investigated under Section 500 of the Penal Code over an article in The Malaysian Insider (now known as The Malaysian Insight) titled, “Who owns the police?” critical of police action on #KitaLawan rally participants. I am currently a columnist in a local Chinese newspaper, Sin Chew Daily. As a believer that dissent is not illegal, I choose writing as my main form of advocacy on civic activism.
On this blog website, you may find more about my work in research and advocacy. I am open to any queries and any potential collaboration, in any possible form. I also welcome applications from postgraduate students on subjects falling within my research areas, so feel free to contact me via my email, yinghooi@gmail.com. Thank you for your interest!
Khoo Ying Hooi's Academic Page 