Finished his secondary education at the Malay College Kuala Kangsar.
Entered University of Malaya to study South East Asian History in 1971.
Active in campus politics. Elected Secretary General of now banned
University of Malaya Students Union (UMSU) in 1973. Left Malaysia in
1974 after a huge student demonstration now historically known as The
Baling Peasant Protest 1974. Studied French Language at University
Catholic of Leuven la Neuve 1984. Studied Arts at Brixton College
London. Graduated in film and video from University of Westminster
London 1992. He returned to Malaysia in 1994 and became a freelance
writer who was once again active in politics. He helped organise
several street demonstrations from 1998 to 2000 following the ouster of
deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim. In 2001 he began a two-year jail sentence
under the Internal Security Act, which permits detention without
trial.