MALAYSIA STUDIES PROGRAMME
About the Seminar
Forest City is a multi-million dollar mixed development project rising out of the Tebrau Straits between southwest Malaysia and Singapore. Positioned as a model future city, it is often cited as one of the catalysts for the evolution of Johor from the ‘backwaters of Singapore’ to a modern metropolis. However, the development project has been plagued with controversy since its inception. From environmental concerns to questions of sovereignty, the project and its developers constantly battle allegations arising from political posturing, business rivalry and misinformation.
This seminar will provide the background and context to the Forest City project and discuss its controversies and challenges. The economic, environmental and social impacts of the project will be examined, as well as the developers’ attempts to mitigate its impacts and compensate the surrounding community. The economic viability of the development and its long-term sustainability in light of the recent enforcement of capital controls will also be discussed. The success of the Forest City project and its proponents’ ability to match hype with action will determine if it is indeed a model of inclusive sustainable development.
About the Speaker
Serina Rahman is currently a Visiting Fellow under the Malaysia Studies Programme at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute. Her research interests lie in marine communities; human, floral and faunal; as well as their interaction and preservation. Her expertise is in inclusive sustainable development; community empowerment; and environmental education.
After graduating with a Business Marketing degree from NTU, Serina trained as an English teacher at the National Institute of Education (NIE). She then took up a Masters in Applied Linguistics at the University of Wales, Cardiff, specialising in Orientalism in Colonial Imagery. Serina left the teaching profession to work as a Content Programmer for Discovery Travel & Adventure (Discovery Networks, Asia), then moved to Malaysia in 2004 to work in coastal habitat conservation, community education and empowerment. This then became the subject of her PhD in Science, during which she began to live in the village that surrounds the Forest City project. Since then, she has also been the Director of UMCares – The Community & Sustainability Centre of the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, before returning to NTU to work as a Research Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.
Registration
To register, please fill in this form and email to iseasevents2@iseas.edu.sg by 14 June 2017.
INDONESIA STUDIES PROGRAMME
About the Seminar
On 9 May 2017 – less than a year after his purportedly blasphemous speech – the former Jakarta Governor, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, was convicted of blasphemy and sentenced to two years imprisonment. The case and the verdict that followed polarized Indonesians: on one end of the spectrum, there are those who believe he should be freed of trumped-up charges of blasphemy; on the other end, are individuals and groups who thought that his sentence was inadequate.
In any case, the blasphemy saga surrounding Ahok – due to its high profile and politically-charged nature – has emerged as a test case not only for religious tolerance in Indonesia, but also for the rule of law and politicization of religion. It raises crucial questions: were the charge, prosecution, and conviction legally justified? To what extent do ethno-religious issues factor into the overall development and outcome of the case? What were the broader political circumstances at play?
This presentation will highlight the interaction between law and politics in the Blasphemy Law conviction involving the former Jakarta governor and in cases implicating issues of religion, more generally. It will argue that law (and law enforcement) cannot be separated from the games of power and broader politics of society. The governor’s conviction places the rule of law and democracy in Indonesia at a critical juncture, but more importantly, the context of the case indicates a strengthening susceptibility to the politicization of ethno-religious sentiments. The presentation will also draw on similar experiences from neighbouring countries in Asia.
About the Speaker
Dian A. H. Shah is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Asian Legal Studies, National University of Singapore (NUS). She graduated with an LL.B from the University of Warwick and earned her doctorate and masters degrees from Duke University. Her research interests span the fields of constitutional history, comparative constitutional law, and human rights, focusing on issues arising from the interaction between law, religion, and politics in Asia. She has spent a considerable amount of time researching in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka. Dian has previously published her works in several international journals and collaborative academic publications and is also a frequent guest lecturer at selected universities in Indonesia. She recently completed her first monograph entitled “Constitutions, Religion, and Politics in Asia: Indonesia, Malaysia and Sri Lanka” (CUP, forthcoming November 2017) and is the Co-Editor (with Andrew Harding) of a book on “Law and Society in Malaysia: Pluralism, Ethnicity, and Religion” (Routledge, forthcoming 2017). Dian also serves as the Deputy Editor of the Asian Journal of Comparative Law.
Registration
For registration, please fill in this form and email to iseasevents3@iseas.edu.sg by 5 June 2017.
REGIONAL STRATEGIC & POLITICAL STUDIES PROGRAMME
AND ASEAN STUDIES CENTRE
AND ASEAN STUDIES CENTRE
About the Seminar
The Asian financial crisis in 1997-1998 awakened a decade of vibrant scholarly and political debate touting East Asian regionalism as “inevitable and necessary”. Today, however, the prospect of regionalism seems to have lost its luster in favour of a darker regional narrative. Has the heyday of East Asian regionalism and ASEAN’s vision of an emerging Asian community now come to pass? This presentation explores the declining policy and scholarly narrative of Asian regionalism since 2011 within the broader context of Asian security trends. Until recently, discussion of East Asia’s future vacillated between two different narratives: one marked by robust economic growth, increased interdependence, and the growth of Asian regionalism, and the other characterized by increased tensions, rising military budgets, and slower economic growth with conflict looming on the horizon. Since 2011, however, the discourse has shifted in favour of the latter narrative, casting a pall over the future of Asian regionalism. In particular, perceptions of China’s increasing assertiveness have resulted in a turn to more pragmatic interpretations of Asian regionalism defined by power balancing and institutional complexity. Thus, if ASEAN remains the driver of East Asian regionalism, China holds the key to further integration.
About the Speaker
Andrew I. Yeo is Associate Professor of Politics and Director of Asian Studies at The Catholic University of America. He is the author of Activists, Alliances, and Anti-U.S. Base Protests (Cambridge University Press, 2011). Dr Yeo is currently completing two book projects: the first explores the evolution of East Asia’s institutional architecture from 1945 to the present. The second is a co-edited volume titled Living in an Age of Mistrust (forthcoming with Routledge Press). His other research has appeared in International Studies Quarterly, European Journal of International Relations, Perspectives on Politics, International Relations of the Asia-Pacific, Comparative Politics, and Journal of East Asian Studies among others. He is the principal investigator of a two-year Korea Foundation sponsored project on North Korean human rights discourse and transnational advocacy. Dr Yeo is a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a fellow at the Institute for Policy Research and Catholic Studies, and was a Mansfield Foundation U.S.-Korea Scholar-Policymaker Nexus Fellow in 2013-2014. He received his Ph.D. in Government from Cornell University in 2008 and a BA magna cum laude in Psychology and International Studies from Northwestern University.
Registration
For registration, please fill in this form and email to iseasevents2@iseas.edu.sg by 12 June 2017.
REGIONAL STRATEGIC AND POLITICAL STUDIES PROGRAMME
About the Seminar
The political environment in Cambodia is getting complex and opaque. The country, if not yet in the phase of power transition, is undergoing a new turn in tandem with a fast-changing politico-social system and emerging new political actors. Though since 1993 Cambodia has successfully organized five national elections and three local elections, historically, power transitions in the country have not always been smooth and peaceful. Hence Cambodia could encounter a critical turning point in the upcoming elections – the commune elections this year and the general elections in 2018. The commune elections, taking place on June 4th under close international scrutiny, will be a benchmark in assessing the political trends and power shifts in the kingdom. The long-ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) has been under mounting pressure since the general election in 2013, which saw significant gains for the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), to speed up reforms and deliver concrete results to restore public trust and confidence. The power competition between two main parties is intensifying as their popular powerbase is equalized. The seminar will discuss the commune election results and their implications for the 2018 national election and general power shift in Cambodia. Will the CPP remain in power? If not, will the power transition be peaceful?
About the Speaker
Vannarith Chheang is a Visiting Fellow at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute. He is also a consultant at The Nippon Foundation in Tokyo, Chairman of Advisory Board at the Cambodia Institute for Strategic Studies, and adjunct Senior Fellow at the Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace where he previously served as the Executive Director from 2009 to 2013. He was a Lecturer of Asia Pacific Studies at the University of Leeds from 2013 to 2016 and was also Visiting Fellow at China’s Institute for International Studies (Beijing, China), Nippon Foundation’s Asian Public Intellectuals (Tokyo, Japan), the Institute for Developing Economies (IDE-JETRO) (Chiba, Japan), and East-West Center (Washington DC, USA). Chheang also served as a technical adviser to the Cambodian National Assembly in 2011 and assistant to Cambodia’s Defense Minister from 2011 to 2012. He was honoured as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and a World Cities Summit Young Leader and has also been a recipient of numerous leadership fellowships from different parts of the world, including T-wai’s Global Emerging Voices (Italy), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France, and CSIS Pacific Young Leaders Program (USA).
Registration
For registration, please fill in this form and email to iseasevents2@iseas.edu.sg by 9 June 2017.
REGIONAL STRATEGIC AND POLITICAL STUDIES PROGRAMME
About the Seminar
Southeast Asia has become an increasing geographic epicenter of the strategic competition and perceived power shift between the region’s two major powers, the United States and China. In this session, Professor David Shambaugh will discuss the dynamics of the competition, as well as the assets and liabilities that each power possesses in the region. Will ASEAN countries be able to continue to successfully “balance”, “engage”, and “hedge” both America and China? Where are the tension points, and what are the likely consequences of an inability to maintain a “competitive coexistence”?
About the Speaker
David Shambaugh is an internationally recognized authority and author on contemporary China and the international relations of Asia. He has visited or lived in China every year since 1979 and is fluent in Chinese. He is currently Distinguished Visiting Professor at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, where he is on sabbatical from his position as Gaston Sigur Professor of Asian Studies, Political Science and International Affairs at The George Washington University. He was formerly the Editor of The China Quarterly and Reader in Chinese Politics at the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). As an author, he has published more than 300 articles and 30 books – most recently China’s Future and The China Reader: Rising Power (both 2016).
Note: This seminar was originally scheduled for 17 May 2017 but had to be cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. ISEAS apologises for the inconvenience caused to those who came on 17 May to attend a seminar which did not take place.
Registration
For registration, please fill in this form and email to iseasevents2@iseas.edu.sg by 31 May 2017.
SINGAPORE APEC STUDY CENTRE
About the Seminar
In a somber mood of anti-globalisation, Leaders of 21 APEC economies concluded the 2016 APEC Summit by emphasizing the need for greater regional economic integration. Commitments to work collectively on regional initiatives were also reaffirmed, to promote mutually beneficial economic integration by improving connectivity, including further efforts to liberalize trade and investment. APEC economies will also continue to encourage structural adjustment and policies to deliver a better, sustainable and inclusive economic growth in the future.
The year 2017 started with a big blow to regional economic integration, as the US administration decided to withdraw from the Trans-pacific Partnership (TPP). While there were discussions of a trade slowdown and rising protectionist tendencies, there are also deliberations that international trade has not benefitted all in society. Greater consideration needs to be given to the distribution of the gains arising from liberalization policies. Communication needs to be strengthened to develop a shared understanding on regional integration, economic growth and the prospects of better well-being.
It is in this setting that the trade ministers from the 21 APEC member economies met in Hanoi, Vietnam, on 20-21 May 2017. They discussed initiatives around freer Asia-Pacific trade that unleashes the advantages of globalization, while concurrently safeguarding people’s welfare that have been affected in the past. The Singapore APEC Study Centre, leveraging on the discussion of the meetings, will convene a seminar that will bring together policy-makers and experts to discuss three key aspects of APEC activities: a) policy discussion on services sector liberalization and APEC post-2020 Bogor goals; b) outlook on globalization and APEC economies and c) ideas and issues to strengthen connectivity across APEC economies.
About the Speakers
Ms Chan Kah Mei, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Singapore
Abstract
The speaker will provide the highlights of the APEC trade ministers’ meetings in Hanoi, with particular emphasis on services sector liberalization, ideas for post-2020 Bogor goals and e-commerce. She will also touch upon the anti-globalisation sentiments (or not) in the officials’ meeting and will share insights on ways to communicate better on economic integration.
Chan Kah Mei is the Deputy Director at the Trade Division of the Ministry of Trade and Industry in Singapore. She heads the teams on the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and Services and E-commerce. Prior to this, Ms Chan held portfolios in the South Asia and Middle East departments and was posted to the Singapore High Commission in New Delhi as Counsellor (Economics) from May 2011 to 2014.
Ms Chan started her career as a broadcast journalist at Mediacorp Radio in Singapore. She later spent time at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (now known as ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute) as a research associate.
Ms Chan joined the Ministry of Trade and Industry in 2007 where she was in charge of the India-Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) and bilateral economic relations between Singapore and India.
Ms Chan obtained a Masters of Science (Politics), First Class, at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London under the Dato Tan Cheng Lock Scholarship from the Institute of South East Asian Studies in 2004.
Dr Denis Hew, Policy Support Unit, APEC Secretariat, Singapore
Abstract
The speaker will provide an account of economic performance and outlook of APEC economies. He will highlight economic trends that need to be tracked to understand the risks to globalization. What are the implications of these risks to the Asia-Pacific region? As trade ministers of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) countries are likely to meet on the sidelines of the APEC meetings, the speaker will also share his views on the prospects of the agreement.
Denis Hew is currently the Director of APEC Policy Support Unit (PSU). In this position, he is responsible for the work program and operations of the PSU, which is the research and analysis arm of APEC.
Before taking up his current appointment, Dr Hew was Regional Cooperation Specialist at the Asian Development Bank (ADB), where he managed technical assistance and coordinated efforts on regional cooperation and integration in the Southeast Asia department. From 2001 to 2008, Dr Hew was Senior Fellow and Programme Coordinator (Regional Economic Studies) at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (now known as ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute). He was also for many years the Managing Editor of the ASEAN Economic Bulletin, a leading academic journal that focuses on policy-relevant economic issues in Southeast Asia. Dr Hew has written extensively on regional economic cooperation and integration, especially in ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific region.
Dr Hew holds a BSc (Hons) in Economics from the University of Warwick, United Kingdom and MSc and PhD in Finance from the University of Manchester, United Kingdom.
Dr Andrew Elek, Australian National University
Abstract
The speaker will look into the ideas and issues of APEC Connectivity Blueprint 2015-2025. He will discuss options for financing physical infrastructure under APEC connectivity and possibility of leveraging on China’s initiative of Belt and Road Initiative and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. The speaker will also consider hoe APEC can continue to promote people-to-people connectivity, (for example by. covering issues of tourism, education, business travel) at a time of rising anti-immigration sentiments.
Andrew Elek is a Visiting Research Fellow of the Crawford School of Economics and Government at the Australian National University (ANU) and a member of the Australian Pacific Economic Cooperation Committee (AUSPECC).
Dr Elek has worked extensively in development economics in South Asia and the South Pacific, and as a Senior Economist with the World Bank. From 1985 to 1987, he served as Chief Economist in the Economic Planning Advisory Council of the Australian Government. From 1987 to 1990, he was head of the Economic and Trade Development Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. In 1989, he was the inaugural chairman of APEC Senior Officials, with a central role in the establishment of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) process. From 1990 to 1994 he was a Senior Research Fellow at the ANU.
Dr Elek has published many papers on international economics and economic cooperation, including the APEC process and, more recently, the G20 and the Belt and Road initiative launched recently by China. The main topics covered recently can be seen at http://www.eastasiaforum.org/author/andrewelek/.
Registration
For registration, please fill in this form and email to iseasevents3@iseas.edu.sg by 31 May 2017.
INDONESIA STUDIES PROGRAMME
About the Seminar
This presentation will discuss several main variables/factors which affected voting behaviour in Jakarta’s gubernatorial election of 2017. The focus will be, among others, on three main variables: the role of identity politics, the importance of personality and psychological factors, and the challenged incumbency effect. The analysis will be based on SMRC’s surveys’ data and exit polls of the first and second round of the election. Reflection on implication will also include the short and middle term impact of this local election in Indonesian politics, particularly on 2018 simultaneous local elections and 2019 national elections
About the Speaker
Djayadi Hanan is a Lecturer of Political Science at Paramadina University in Jakarta where he also serves as Director of The University’s Institute for Education Reform (IER). Besides that, Djayadi is an Executive Director of Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting (SMRC), a leading political research and polling institute in the country. He holds a PhD in Political Science from Ohio State University as well as Master degrees both from Ohio University and Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Djayadi has served as Director of Research and Services at Paramadina University Jakarta, Senior Researcher with the The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) – Indonesia, and researcher at the Ohio State University and the Ministry of Regional Autonomy of the Republic of Indonesia. In 2012, he resided in Harvard Kennedy School as a research fellow where he conducted research on multiparty presidential democracy in developing countries. His main fields of expertise include the role of education in democratic cultures, legislative and executive interaction at the local, regional and national level, and student and religious movements during democratization processes. As a political scientist, Djayadi publishes articles in several journals and writes extensively in Indonesian major newspapers. As a political commentator he has been interviewed by major national televisions, radios, and printed media in Indonesia and overseas. His latest book (Mizan, 2014) is entitled: “Menakar Presidensialisme Multipartai di Indonesia” (Understanding Multiparty Presidentialism in Indonesia).
Registration
For registration, please fill in this form and email to iseasevents3@iseas.edu.sg by 19 May 2017.
MALAYSIA STUDIES PROGRAMME
About the Seminar
As the newest political party in Malaysia, Bersatu has been making waves in the increasingly volatile local political scene. Seen as a splinter group from UMNO by some, and as a legitimate challenger to UMNO’s dominance by others, Bersatu is having an impact on how the Rakyat – especially Malays – see the future of the country. While the opposition coalition has won the popular vote, it is still not enough to form a new government under Malaysia’s first-past-the-post parliamentary system. Hence, Bersatu is a game-changer that could galvanise support from Malays who would otherwise be staunch supporters of UMNO – particularly in rural areas long-known to be UMNO strongholds.
With this as a context, this seminar aims to address these questions: Will Pakatan Harapan with Bersatu as a new member succeed in winning the 14th General Elections? How will PAS factor in the elections and the way people choose to vote? Will Barisan Nasional be able to win if there were three-cornered fights? Have the Rakyat had enough of kleptocracy and its impact on the cost of living, or are they feeling safe in their comfort zones and unable to make tough decisions? Is the ground fertile for change ushering the dawn of a new era for Malaysia post-GE14?
About the Speaker
Mukhriz Mahathir is a Malaysian politician and Deputy President of Parti Pribumi Bersatu, a party he founded along with former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamed, former Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, and many more former UMNO members.
Up until early 2016, Mukhriz was a member of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) in Malaysia’s ruling Barisan Nasional coalition. Following the 13th General Election, he was State Assemblyman for the seat of Ayer Hitam and Chief Minister of the country’s northern state of Kedah, as well as the state UMNO Liaison Chairman and member of the party’s Supreme Council. In January 2016, UMNO Kedah leaders led by Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah declared the loss of confidence towards Mukhriz due to what they claimed as “his inability to maintain a united party leadership”. The move is widely believed to have been orchestrated by Prime Minister Najib Razak.
Mukhriz Mahathir studied Business Administration at Sophia University, Tokyo. He later received a Bachelor’s degree in marketing after graduating from Boston University, Massachusetts in 1989. He has held various posts in several business firms, including Opcom Holdings Berhad, Bioven Sdn Bhd and Reliance Pacific Berhad, and has also been active in NGOs such as MRSM Alumni (ANSARA), Malaysian Franchise Association, Peace Malaysia as well as Perdana Global Peace Foundation.
Registration
For registration, please fill in this form and email to iseasevents2@iseas.edu.sg by 29 May 2017.
INDONESIA STUDIES PROGRAMME
About the Seminar
In the recent Jakarta Gubernatorial elections the Incumbent, Basuki Tjahaya Purnama was defeated by Anies Baswedan, approximately 58% to 42%. Following the publication of an article by Dr Ian Wilson of Murdoch University, entitled: “Jakarta: Inequality and the poverty of elite pluralism” in the Australian National University’s NEW MANDALA website publication, a sharp and ongoing debate has developed over the respective roles of class versus religion in the recent elections. Both Indonesian and non-Indonesian political analysts and actors have weighed in on this debate. Was religious sectarianism, fanning intolerance, the key factor or was class alienation from Governor Basuki Tjahaya Purnama a factor too frequently ignored by commentators and political actors? As this debate has unfolded, there are some who have also warned that the fate suffered by Governor Purnama may also be suffered by President Widodo. This is argued, for example, in Mietzner and Muhtadi’s “Ahok’s satisfied non-voters: an anatomy” also in New Mandala, a publication that campaigned strongly for President Widodo in 2014. Was this an election pitting the rights of minorities against intolerance and sectarianism or something more complicated? Was it a rejection of choosing officials on the basis of their achievements or otherwise in favour of voting based on religious identity? This presentation will review the debate that has unfolded, looking at a variety of commentaries. It will argue that the campaign and the vote can best be explained by a series of intersecting tensions both within and between social classes in Jakarta (and Indonesia) and a strengthening of the trend towards scapegoat politics in a situation of gross imbalance in ideological activity among various political actors. The presentation will make some assessments of possible future trends in national politics.
About the Speaker
Max Lane is a Senior Visiting Fellow at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute and a Visiting Lecturer at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Gajah Mada University. His most recent books are Decentralization and Discontents: An Essay on Class, Political Agency and National Perspective in Indonesian Politics (ISEAS 2014); Unfinished Nation: Indonesia Before and After Suharto (Verso 2008, 2017); and Catastrophe in Indonesia (Seagull/University of Chicago 2010). In 2016 he published a collection of poems and prose in Indonesia and Not, Poems and Otherwise: Anecdotes Scattered (Djaman Baroe, 2016), which was launched at the 2016 Singapore Writers Festival. He is also the translator of Pramoedya Ananta Toer’s Buru Quartet set of novels and other works of Toer as well as plays and poems of W.S. Rendra. He was the founding editor of Inside Indonesia magazine, has served as a Second Secretary at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta and as a Principal Research Officer for the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade in the Australian Parliament as well as a journalist.
Registration
For registration, please fill in this form and email to iseasevents3@iseas.edu.sg by 12 May 2017.
MALAYSIA STUDIES PROGRAMME
About the Seminar
2016 was a watershed year for politics globally. Unexpected events, such as the Brexit referendum in the UK and the victory of Donald Trump in the US Presidential elections completely upended long-held certainties.
It has been argued that these episodes mean that populist and sectarian politics now have the ascendancy. However, this ignores the rise elsewhere of progressive politicians such as Bernie Sanders and other political figures. Moreover, these movements have a common undercurrent of profound disillusionment with the prevalent economic system.
Such trends matter for Malaysia because the continuous stoking of racial and religious sentiment by the UMNO-BN political establishment means that there is a real risk that extremist political stances and demagogues could eventually enjoy mainstream success, if not already. However, it can also be argued that tensions in Malaysia’s polity are fundamentally economic in nature. More Malaysians – of all races, but especially the Malays and Bumiputera that make up most the poor – are being left behind due to the ill-advised, serving policies of UMNO-BN. Young Malaysians are suffering the most, being hamstrung by poor education, crushing debt, increasingly scarce middle-class jobs and soaring housing prices. While the UMNO-BN administration becomes embroiled in more corruption scandals, the Opposition must be able to offer the Malaysian public radical alternatives that addresses these concerns to win power and ensure that the rise of authoritarian populism is stopped at Malaysia’s shores.
About the Speaker
Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad is the People’s Justice Party (PKR) Youth Leader; Selangor State Minister for Education, Human Capital Development, Science, Technology and Innovation; and State Assemblyman for Seri Setia.
Previously, Nik Nazmi obtained his LLB (Hons) from King’s College London and worked as an executive at Malaysian government-linked investment corporation PNB and Private Secretary to PKR Leader Anwar Ibrahim. In 2008, at 26 years old, he was elected as the Selangor State Assemblyman and was the youngest candidate to win in the general elections. He was appointed as Political Secretary to Selangor Chief Minister Khalid Ibrahim, then was appointed as PKR Communications Director. He defended his seat in the 2013 elections and was elected as the Deputy Speaker of the State Assembly. He was elected as PKR Youth Leader in 2014. When Azmin Ali was appointed as the Selangor Chief Minister later that year, Nik Nazmi was assigned to the State Cabinet.
Nik Nazmi is presently the Chairman of the Universiti Selangor Board of Governors, a member of the Board of Directors of Universiti Selangor, Selangor Foundation and state-think tank Institut Darul Ehsan. He is also a founder and currently Patron of Mentari Project, a voluntary tuition project for the poor. Formerly he was Executive Director of the Open Dialogue Society and a member of the Cross Party Advisory Panel of the Center for Public Policy Studies-ASLI. He is an author of several books in Malay and English. At the moment Nik Nazmi has columns in the Edge Malaysia, Sinar Harian (Malay) and Oriental Daily News (Mandarin).
Registration
For registration, please fill in this form and email to iseasevents2@iseas.edu.sg by 22 May 2017.