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Conclusion: Comparing Women's Representation In Asian Parliaments, Devin K. Joshi
Conclusion: Comparing Women's Representation In Asian Parliaments, Devin K. Joshi
Research Collection School of Social Sciences
This chapter explains important findings from this study while identifying common trends across Asia and the sub-regions of South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia. It examines to what degree Asian parliamentarians have prioritized substantive representation of women (SRW). It assesses whether SRW was a primary reason or motivation behind why members of parliament (MPs) entered politics in the first place and whether they viewed SRW as a pressing issue for their governments to address. MPs interviewed in this study expressed what they felt were the most important issues today that need government’s attention. MPs were asked whether they make …
The Pandemic As Political Opportunity: Jokowi’S Indonesia In The Time Of Covid-19, Charlotte Setijadi
The Pandemic As Political Opportunity: Jokowi’S Indonesia In The Time Of Covid-19, Charlotte Setijadi
Research Collection School of Social Sciences
In mid-2021, the Delta strain of the Covid-19 virus caused a second wave of transmissions and deaths in Indonesia at a scale much greater than what was seen in 2020. In this paper, I examine what the Indonesian government’s handling of the Covid crisis in 2021 reveals about the priorities of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), as well as his political agenda and attitude towards the country’s democracy, as he strives to cement his legacy. I argue that, while devastating, the Covid-19 pandemic has given Jokowi the opportunity to push through long-planned economic and political reforms. Furthermore, I contend that, under …
Guest Editorial: Disaster, State And Science: Historical Narratives Of Extreme Weather In East Asia And The Pacific, Fiona Williamson
Guest Editorial: Disaster, State And Science: Historical Narratives Of Extreme Weather In East Asia And The Pacific, Fiona Williamson
Research Collection School of Social Sciences
This curated special issue asks how history can be used as a lens into disaster and disaster management. It takes as its premise the idea that approaches from different disciplines - including the humanities and social sciences – can offer new perspectives on understanding disaster, managing disaster and disaster risk. The concept is not new, historically focussed studies have long provided meat for hazard investigations and modelling, especially those focused on geological or hydrological time-series analyses; multi-hazard interactions and identifying historical underliers for contemporary risk. It has become increasingly common, for example, to include historians in collaborative efforts to better …
Why Have Candidates In Indonesian Elections Increasingly Been Rallying Ethnic And Religious Support?, Colm A. Fox
Why Have Candidates In Indonesian Elections Increasingly Been Rallying Ethnic And Religious Support?, Colm A. Fox
Research Collection School of Social Sciences
Ethnicity and religion often become politicised in elections. Research has found that this is particularly true during a transition to democracy. During these times, fragile democratic rules and practices, coupled with strong ethnic bonds, often motivate aspiring politicians to bolster their support by appealing to voters’ emotional allegiances to their tribe, ethnicity, or religion. But, Indonesia’s case is puzzling.
Singapore’S Covid-19 General Election: Political Breakthrough Amid A Generational Crisis?, Eugene K. B. Tan
Singapore’S Covid-19 General Election: Political Breakthrough Amid A Generational Crisis?, Eugene K. B. Tan
Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law
In the 13th general election since independence, the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) – which has governed Singapore since 1959 – won 83 out of 93 seats, with a popular vote share of 61.24%, its third lowest on record. The Workers’ Party (WP) won 10 seats, including an unprecedented two multi-member electoral constituencies, cementing its standing as the leading opposition party. Not only did this outcome fall short of the strong mandate the PAP had sought, it was arguably its worst electoral performance since independence as the PAP’s control of elected seats dipped below 90% for the first time. In …
Indonesia: Twenty Years Of Democracy By Jamie S. Davidson [Book Review], Colm A. Fox
Indonesia: Twenty Years Of Democracy By Jamie S. Davidson [Book Review], Colm A. Fox
Research Collection School of Social Sciences
In Indonesia: Twenty years of democracy, Jamie S. Davidson looks back over the two decades since Soeharto’s fall, focusing on the ‘tensions, inconsistencies, and contradictory puzzles of Indonesia’s democracy’ (p. 4). Refreshingly, the book moves beyond the common approach of studying the similarities and differences between the contemporary democratic period and the Soeharto era. Davidson identifies, labels and skilfully guides the reader through three separate eras in Indonesia’s recent democratic history: the innovation period (1998–2004), the stagnation period (2004–14) and the period of polarisation (2014–18). Each era is analysed in parallel fashion, with subsections on politics, political economy and identity-based …
The Politics Of Disaster: The Great Singapore Flood Of 1954, Fiona Williamson
The Politics Of Disaster: The Great Singapore Flood Of 1954, Fiona Williamson
Research Collection School of Social Sciences
Singapore in the 1950s was a deeply divided society. Struggling to recover from the hardships ofthe Second World War and fighting an internal battle that the British government termed an‘emergency’, it was a time of hardship, tension, and anxiety. In the midst of this crisis, Singapore’sinhabitants continued to manage the natural elements of their climate and environment, especiallythe dangerous combination of heavy monsoonal rains, low-lying marshland, and tidal flooding.This article examines the circumstances surrounding a particularly severe episode of flooding thatoccurred in December 1954. It explores how the flood’s impact was exacerbated by humanexigencies, especially recent government resettlement plans and …
Joseph Conceicao [Singapore, Diplomat, Member Of Parliament], Joseph Conceicao
Joseph Conceicao [Singapore, Diplomat, Member Of Parliament], Joseph Conceicao
Digital Narratives of Asia
Joseph Conceicao was a diplomat and served as Member of Parliament for Katong for 16 years. He shares with DNA what it was like working with Singapore's founding leaders, as well as how he manoeuvred through the tricky situations in his career.
Kishore Mahbubani [Singapore, Diplomat, Dean Of Lee Kuan Yew School Of Public Policy], Kishore Mahbubani
Kishore Mahbubani [Singapore, Diplomat, Dean Of Lee Kuan Yew School Of Public Policy], Kishore Mahbubani
Digital Narratives of Asia
Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Kishore Mahbubhani is a retired diplomat and respected author. He shares with DNA his 5C theory of leadership, as well as his thoughts on working with Singapore’s founding leaders.
Societal Influence, Leadership And Impact: Defining Traits Of Twenty Pioneer Southeast Asian Leaders, Institute For Societal Leadership, Lai Cheng Lim
Societal Influence, Leadership And Impact: Defining Traits Of Twenty Pioneer Southeast Asian Leaders, Institute For Societal Leadership, Lai Cheng Lim
Institute of Societal Leadership Research Collection
This study focuses on twenty Southeast Asian leaders who have been key players during critical transitions in the social, economic and political development of their country. In asking each of the societal leaders questions concerning their motivation, the cause they were championing and the factors that have led to their success as leaders, the study attempts to draw out common traits they possess and investigates whether the traits that make people effective societal leaders differ across socio-cultural and historical contexts. A grounded theory approach is used in the analysis of the attributes and traits that emerge from the transcripts of …
Kaset Rojananil [Thailand, Royal Thai Armed Forces], Kaset Rojananil
Kaset Rojananil [Thailand, Royal Thai Armed Forces], Kaset Rojananil
Digital Narratives of Asia
Kaset Rojananil was the Supreme Commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces during the Black May riots of 1992 and was involved in the 1991 coup to overthrow the government of Chatichai Choonhavan. He gives DNA his take on those events as well as what it takes to be a leader in the military.
Wang Gungwu [Hong Kong, Vice-Chancellor Hku, Historian], Wang Gungwu
Wang Gungwu [Hong Kong, Vice-Chancellor Hku, Historian], Wang Gungwu
Digital Narratives of Asia
Renown historian Wang Gungwu has helmed several academic institutions, including the University of Hong Kong (HKU) as Vice-Chancellor from 1986-1995. In this DNA interview, he tells of how he worked to help HKU manage the historic transition from colonial British rule to the Chinese "One-country-two-systems" rule, and along the way, grow the university's research side of the house as well.
Pung Chhiv Kek [Cambodia, Activist], Pung Chhiv Kek
Pung Chhiv Kek [Cambodia, Activist], Pung Chhiv Kek
Digital Narratives of Asia
Dr Pung Chhiv Kek is the Founder and President of the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO) and was nominated in 2005 for the Nobel Peace Prize as part of the 1000 Women for the Nobel Peace Prize project. Apart from her work to improve the rights and lives of Cambodians, she talks to DNA about her efforts to bring Hun Sen and Sihanouk together for talks, which later led to the Peace Accords of 1991.
Somsavat Lengsavad [Laos, Deputy Prime Minister], Somsavat Lengsavad
Somsavat Lengsavad [Laos, Deputy Prime Minister], Somsavat Lengsavad
Digital Narratives of Asia
Somsavat Lengsavad is Deputy Prime Minister of Laos. He joined the People's Revolutionary Movement as a combatant in 1961 and his efforts to liberate and unite Laos found him in government decades later. He speaks to DNA about his time in combat, as well as the lessons he learnt from his role model, former President Kaysone Phomvihane.
The Metro Manila Report: National Landscape, Current Challenges And Opportunities For Growth, Institute For Societal Leadership, John W. Ellington
The Metro Manila Report: National Landscape, Current Challenges And Opportunities For Growth, Institute For Societal Leadership, John W. Ellington
Institute of Societal Leadership Research Collection
Although Western colonisers have, to varying degrees, shaped the political structures and economies of nearly all modern Southeast Asian nations, they achieved an unmatched level of cultural and institutional penetration in the Philippines. Far from the Indic influences that inspired Angkor Wat, Borobudur and Bagan, the island group was only marginally sanskritised during the pre-colonial period. With some notable exceptions in the south, Muslim communities were also never able to establish firm roots. Mindanao, Sulu and even southern Luzon were home to maritime sultanates beginning in the late 14th century, but a Spanish victory over the Muslim Rajah of Maynila …
Michael Wong Pakshong [Singapore, Managing Director Of Mas], Michael Wong Pakshong
Michael Wong Pakshong [Singapore, Managing Director Of Mas], Michael Wong Pakshong
Digital Narratives of Asia
Michael Wong Pakshong was the first Managing Director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore. He shares with DNA the challenges of building up a new institution in a newly independent country, as well as the obstacles he faced when the government's vision for MAS changed.
The Singapore Report: National Landscape, Current Challenges And Opportunities For Growth, Institute For Societal Leadership, Aji Paramartha, Shihui Khee, Regina Unson, Sai Hein
The Singapore Report: National Landscape, Current Challenges And Opportunities For Growth, Institute For Societal Leadership, Aji Paramartha, Shihui Khee, Regina Unson, Sai Hein
Institute of Societal Leadership Research Collection
Singapore has come a long way, since her beginnings as a sleepy fishing village and a tiny Malay settlement ruled by the Sultan of Johor. Sir Stamford Raffles first arrived in Singapore in 1819 and immediately recognised that its strategic location along the Straits of Malacca would be useful to the British in developing an alternative to challenge Dutch influence and monopoly in the region. During British colonial rule, Singapore developed into an important free port and trade city, an essential trait that continues to feature heavily in Singapore’s economic development to this day.
Ciputra Tjipoetra [Indonesia, Chairman Of Ciputra Business Group], Ciputra Tjipoetra
Ciputra Tjipoetra [Indonesia, Chairman Of Ciputra Business Group], Ciputra Tjipoetra
Digital Narratives of Asia
Ciputra is the Founder and Chairman of Ciputra Business Group, an Indonesian property conglomerate. He tells DNA how he worked and navigated his way through Indonesia's political and business scene to build his business empire and shares his thoughts on entrepreneurship and leadership.
Herman Hochstadt [Singapore, Permanent Secretary In Civil Service], Herman Hochstadt
Herman Hochstadt [Singapore, Permanent Secretary In Civil Service], Herman Hochstadt
Digital Narratives of Asia
Herman Hochstadt's name is synonymous with the Singapore civil service, having helmed several ministries as Permanent Secretary. He tells DNA what it was like working with the founding fathers of modern Singapore and shares that successful leaders need to have "the devil in them".
Timothy Ong [Brunei, Chairman Of Asia Inc Forum], Timothy Ong
Timothy Ong [Brunei, Chairman Of Asia Inc Forum], Timothy Ong
Digital Narratives of Asia
Timothy Ong is Chairman of Asia Inc Forum, a regional platform for policy and business dialogue which he set up after the failure of his magazine Asia Inc. Mr Ong talks openly to DNA about the Asia Inc episode and how he learned from those mistakes to build a stronger, better company. He also shares his impressions of leaders he has met through his work at Asia Inc Forum.
Chea Vannath [Cambodia, Activist], Chea Vannath
Chea Vannath [Cambodia, Activist], Chea Vannath
Digital Narratives of Asia
Nobel Peace Prize Nominee Chea Vannath fled Cambodia when the Khmer Rouge attempted to arrest her husband. She returned to her homeland 12 years later and began working to help heal her war-torn country. She speaks to DNA about life under the Khmer Rouge, her struggle to come to terms with what they had done to her homeland and what led her to work for the Khmer Rouge to be involved in the reconciliation process.
Chuan Leekpai [Thailand, Prime Minister], Leekpai Chuan
Chuan Leekpai [Thailand, Prime Minister], Leekpai Chuan
Digital Narratives of Asia
Chuan Leekpai is a two-time Thai Prime Minister. He shares with DNA the thinking behind some of his policies, as well as gives his take on the recent political turmoil Thailand has been embroiled in.
Nguyen Khac Huynh [Vietnam, Diplomat], Nguyen Khac Huynh
Nguyen Khac Huynh [Vietnam, Diplomat], Nguyen Khac Huynh
Digital Narratives of Asia
Nguyen Khac Huynh was a key member of the 1968-1973 Paris Peace Talks on the Vietnam War. He talks to DNA about how Vietnam managed to negotiate a settlement that saw the US withdraw from South Vietnam, despite being a weaker power. Hear also the long-time diplomat, soldier and academic's thoughts on the qualities of a good leader.
Fidel Valdez Ramos [Philippines, President], Fidel Valdez Ramos
Fidel Valdez Ramos [Philippines, President], Fidel Valdez Ramos
Digital Narratives of Asia
Fidel V Ramos was the 12th President of the Philippines. As Director-General of the Integrated National Police and Acting Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, he rose up against the dictatorship of President Ferdinand Marcos, to lead the military in the People Power Revolution of 1986. He tells DNA why he decided to stand up to his second cousin, what led him to run for the presidency and the thinking behind one of the key achievements of his term - the peace agreement with the MNLF.
Ramon Navaratnam [Malaysia, President Of Transparency International Malaysia], Ramon Navaratnam
Ramon Navaratnam [Malaysia, President Of Transparency International Malaysia], Ramon Navaratnam
Digital Narratives of Asia
Former Secretary-General of Malaysia's Transport Ministry and Former President of Transparency International Malaysia, Ramon Navaratnam speaks his mind. An outspoken critic of Malaysian politics and society, Mr Navaratnam feels that it is his duty to speak up and tell the truth. He shares his thoughts with DNA over the merger and separation of Malaysia and Singapore, as well as his frank assessment of the two countries' pioneer Prime Ministers, Tunku Abdul Rahman and Lee Kuan Yew.
The Yangon Report: National Landscape, Current Challenges And Opportunities For Growth, Institute For Societal Leadership, John W. Ellington
The Yangon Report: National Landscape, Current Challenges And Opportunities For Growth, Institute For Societal Leadership, John W. Ellington
Institute of Societal Leadership Research Collection
Since its independence from British rule in 1948, Myanmar has struggled with multiple obstacles, including a series of violent internal ethnic and sectarian conflicts, isolationist fiscal policies instituted by an increasingly distrustful military government and international sanctions and condemnation following government crackdowns in 1988 and 2007. In spite of all these setbacks, President Thein Sein’s decision in 2011 to liberalise the country’s political and economic systems has created a new wave of optimism for what was once commonly regarded as a failed state.
The Phnom Penh Report: National Landscape, Current Challenges And Opportunities For Growth, Institute For Societal Leadership, John W. Ellington
The Phnom Penh Report: National Landscape, Current Challenges And Opportunities For Growth, Institute For Societal Leadership, John W. Ellington
Institute of Societal Leadership Research Collection
Once a relatively sleepy agrarian kingdom, Cambodia has experienced some of the most horrific violence since the close of the Second World War. Between 1970 and 1999, the country was the victim of both a brutal civil war as well wider regional conflicts. The Khmer Rouge seizure of power in 1975 brought four years of forced collectivisation and mass killings that have haunted the Cambodian psyche ever since. The decade of Vietnamese occupation that followed only further exacerbated the country’s massive humanitarian problems. When the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) exited after elections in 1993, it left behind …
The Next Step For Myanmar, Michael Shank, Vani Sathisan
The Next Step For Myanmar, Michael Shank, Vani Sathisan
Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law
Last week, the Elders, led by ex-U.S. president Jimmy Carter, called for an end to impunity over the anti-Muslim attacks in Myanmar and the "meaningful realization of the right to freedom of religion." But their three-day visit with reformist President Thein Sein, religious leaders and civil society groups was not the only international appeal for increased attention. In her first visit to Singapore, this month Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi also offered up a solution to current problems of sectarian violence, corruption, a crippled judicial system and illegal land grabs that plague her …
The Politics Of Human Development In India And China: It Pays To Invest In Women And Children, Devin K. Joshi
The Politics Of Human Development In India And China: It Pays To Invest In Women And Children, Devin K. Joshi
Research Collection School of Social Sciences
This article explores the attainments of China and India on measures of basic human development as ingredients of a long-term economic development strategy. It proposes that major differences in ideology and state capacity explain in part why India has fallen behind China. The analysis suggests that these relatively hidden political factors play an important role in transforming and advancing human development not only within India and China but also in other developing and emerging economies. The findings also support the notion that public investments in the capabilities of women and children have significant social and economic payoffs in both the …
Singapore: Transitioning To A "New Normal" In A Post-Lee Kuan Yew Era, Eugene K. B. Tan
Singapore: Transitioning To A "New Normal" In A Post-Lee Kuan Yew Era, Eugene K. B. Tan
Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law
Politics in Singapore is generally marked by incremental change. When Singapore eventually becomes a two-party or multi-party democracy, the 2011 general election is likely to be regarded as the starting point of the epochal political transition. It was a boisterous year politically where political excitement and consciousness went up several notches due to the 7 May general elections and the 27 August presidential elections, both of which produced keenly contested hustings and outcomes. The aftermath of the general elections also saw the retirement of former Prime Ministers Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Chok Tong from the Cabinet.