Chandra Muzaffar

Chandra Muzaffar (b. 1947) is a Malaysian political scientist and activist for human rights and social justice. He graduated with a PhD from the National University of Singapore in 1977 and was a professor and director at the Center for Civilisational Dialogue, University of Malaya from 1997 to 1999. From 1977 to 1991, he was the founder-president of National Consciousness Movement (Aliran), Malaysia’s oldest known advocacy group for social reform and justice. During the political turbulence of Reformasi movement in Malaysian politics, Chandra took up the position of Deputy-President of a newly-formed opposition party, National Justice Party (Keadilan) from 1999 to 2001. Amongst some of his other involvements are Consultant to the United Nation’s Conference on Human Rights in Vienna (1993) and member of Board of Directors, International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism in Brussels, Belgium (1995 – ). Presently, he is president of the International Movement for a Just World (JUST), a Malaysian-based advocacy group for social justice and human rights issues.

Chandra is a prolific writer and has published numerous books, including Protector? A Study of Leader-led Relationships in Malay Society (1979); Islamic Resurgence in Malaysia (1987); Rights, Religion and Reform: Enhancing Human Dignity through Spiritual and Moral Transformation (2002); Muslims, Dialogue, Terror (2003); and Global Ethic or Global Hegemony? Reflections on Religion, Human Dignity and Civilization Interaction (2005). He is a recipient of many awards, including the Harry J. Benda Prize for Distinguished Scholarship on Southeast Asia by the Association of Asian Studies, North America in 1989.