In the book, Tham Junean examines the operations of the Royal Navy in the Straits of Malacca and its impact on piracy in the region. This is followed by an in depth look at the career of HMS Rinaldo and the men who served on board during the Incident. The entirety of the Selangor Incident is given in great detail, together with the impact it caused, both to the colonial and naval authorities, and its significance to the onset of colonialism in Malaya. The book ends with the fates of the Rinaldo and those who were involved in that pivotal Incident. Combining naval and colonial history, HMS Rinaldo & The Selangor Incident: Gunboat Diplomacy in Malaya is an extensively researched and richly illustrated look at one of the flashpoints of colonialism in the 19th century Malaya.