The malaysiakini team wishes all our readers Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Beginning today, we are taking a week-long break, which includes a retreat for the team to brainstorm, plan and strategise for the new year. Malaysiakini will be back on Jan 2, 2002 with all the news and views that matter.

While we are away, malaysiakini will be running an exclusive seven-part series on The Tunku Tapes. The articles are from a newly launched book containing candid interviews with Malaysia's first prime minister by journalist and author K Das.

Find out what the Tunku had to say about his political nemesis Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and other personalities of the day, the May 13 riots of 1969 and the assault on the judiciary.

Don't miss it! The first part begins tomorrow.