The Accidental Malay
The Accidental Malay is a debut novel by Malaysian author Karina Bahrin. Written in English, it follows Jasmine Leong, a 41-year-old about to inherit her family's huge business who learns she is partly Malay, not fully Chinese as she believed. The book won the Epigram Books Fiction Prize 2022, earning Bahrin RM78,000 and a publishing contract. Critics had mixed views: Tan Gim Ean praised Bahrin for thoughtfully exploring Malaysia’s social issues; Olivia Ho gave it 3 out of 5 stars and called it a bold take on Malaysian social norms; Elena Koshy felt the ending was contrived and unfair to the story.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 20:31 (CET).