BUANASENI: Book Review

Showing posts with label Book Review. Show all posts

SABRINA

Saturday, September 5, 2026 at 5:34 AM | Posted by Johan

SABRINA, a short Malay novel by Jo Haq, published in 2026, is now available for RM29.90 at Kedai Fixi, Sunway Putra Mall, Kuala Lumpur; and at Riwayat Bookstore, Jalan Tun H.S. Lee, Kuala Lumpur.

Synopsis

Sabrina, a teenage Sino-Malay girl with a bright future, lands herself in an unfortunate degrading life of a prostitute to redeem her father's unpaid loans with a gangster-loan-shark syndicate in Kuala Lumpur that is backed by a politician. She escapes the dreadful life with the help of an ex-boy-friend who has now become a police inspector. With the savings by her late mother, Sabrina finds herself studying in Melbourne and ends up as a Chartered Accountant. Her vengeance fuels her corporate success only to give her the opportunity to destroy the politician that had darkened her life. She embarks on a cunning white colar criminal attack that radiates into a revenge murder to retaliate the death of her father.

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ARWAH BAIK ORANGNYA

Thursday, April 17, 2025 at 2:50 AM | Posted by Johan

ARWAH BAIK ORANGNYA

Oleh Jo Haq

ARWAH BAIK ORANGNYA adalah suatu kompilasi 100 buah sajak dan puisi Bahasa Melayu oleh Jo Haq dalam usahanya untuk memertabatkan Bahasa Melayu melalui hasil karya seni seperti kesusateraan, terutamanya apabila rakyat Malaysia secara keseluruhannya sudah mula alpa untuk menguasai bahasa ibunda mereka. Walaupun secara profesionalnya Jo Haq adalah seorang akauntan bertauliah dan mengharungi kehidupan kerja di dalam bidang kewangan and pelaburan selama hampir 3 dekad, minat beliau di dalam kesenian telah menghasilkan 8 pameran seni visual, 8 lagu, penerajuan 8 stesyen televisyen; dan 8 buku termasuk Arwah Baik Orangnya.

Karangan beliau di dalam buku ini merupakan suatu manifestasi pemikiran beliau mengenai kehidupan rakyat secara amnya terutamanya rakyat Malaysia, dan juga pengalaman peribadi beliau secara khususnya. Gaya nukilan dan penggunaan bahasa beliau adalah moden dan kontemporari sejajar dengan penerimaan rakyat dewasa kini yang menuntut hasil-hasil karya yang segar.

Arwah Baik Orangnya kini boleh dibeli pada harga RM29.90 di kedai-kedai berikut:

1. Kedai Fixi, Sunway Putra Mall, Kuala Lumpur

2. Riwayat Bookstore, Jalan H.S. Lee, Kuala Lumpur

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ANGRY BITCH

at 2:45 AM | Posted by Johan

ANGRY BITCH

By Jo Haq

ANGRY BITCH is a compilation of 100 English poems written by Jo Haq in his attempt to explore his right brain for the arts. Although he was professionally trained as a Chartered Accountant and has worked for almost 3 decades in finance and investment related roles, his passion for arts has led him to produce noticeable creative works such as 8 visual art shows, 8 songs published, 8 tv stations managed; and 8 books published inclusive of Angry Bitch.

The poems in Angry Bitch exposes his views and opinion about life in general and issues surrounding the current society particularly his personal experiences. His style of narrative is rather modern and contemporary, that is suitable for the evolved society who prefers fresh perspectives.

Angry Bitch is now available for RM29.90 at these book stores:

1. Kedai Fixi, Sunway Putra Mall, Kuala Lumpur

2. Riwayat Bookstore, Jalan H.S. Lee, Kuala Lumpur

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TX'ING THE J-CURVE

at 2:41 AM | Posted by Johan

TX'ING THE J-CURVE

By Johan Ishak

TV has been the primary source of entertainment for most of the households across the globe, and certainly for Malaysians. However, the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) has infected the TV industry, so much so that, microeconomically, TV businesses face challenge at an unprecedented manner. We have seen Nokia losing to iPhones. We have seen taxis losing to Grab. We have seen many other paradigm shifts in the economy. Is TV facing the same fate?

Johan Ishak, in his book, TX'ing (Transmitting) the J-Curve, shares his experience as the CEO of the No.1 TV station in Malaysia, TV3, as the TV station face the threat of losing its market to the likes of Facebook, Google and Youtube. As TV3 is the biggest contributor to the financial results of a Malaysian public listed media company, Media Prima Berhad, the group faced the risk of suspension from the bourse, Bursa Malaysia, as it deals with the bourse's Practice Note 17 (PN17) that is akin to the American Chapter 11.

Johan shares his experience turning around the TV operation from red back to black circa 2017 to 2020, that involves and coincides with the digitalisation of broadcasting, the rise of social media, growth of e-commerce, Malaysian political turmoil that was sensitive to media and journalism, globalisation of content distribution via Over-the-Top platforms such as Netflix, and the inevitable act of workforce retrenchment.

Today, TV3 is still in operation albeit thinner margin, presumably, and what had happened has certainly opened the eyes of media players in Malaysia to critically contemplate new business models going forward.

TX'ing the J-Curve is now available for RM64.90 at these book stores:

1. Kedai Fixi, Sunway Putra Mall, Kuala Lumpur

2. Riwayat Bookstore, Jalan H.S. Lee, Kuala Lumpur

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