Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

is the Executive Director of Penang Institute. His recent books include The Eurasian Core and its Edges: Dialogues with Wang Gungwu on the History of the World (ISEAS 2016).

323 posts

Building Penang, Inspiring Malaysia

39 min read

In honour of Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu who passed away in November 2010, Penang Economic Monthly presents in this issue a list of articles on the second chief minister of Penang (1969–1990).

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Trapped Multiple Times

2 min read

This month’s cover is about Malaysia’s brain drain; and what is fascinating is how old – and yet how current – the story reads.

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Funeral for a true son of Penang

2 min read

The morning was soft and cloudy – but only for a while. By 10am, the sun was blazing and having its usual relentless way with Penangites. Perhaps as man...

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Retaining the Ability to Enjoy Simple Abilities

2 min read

Our machines make us seek more power and more capacity, and in the process we forget to appreciate our most basic skills. So we end up seeking thrills and searching for novel experiences.

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Of Yin & Yang, Qi and Immune Systems

3 min read

Do you know that we start rotting as soon as we have breathed our last breath? This is a fascinating reminder that decay is the default situation for the human...

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

The importance of being Inspirable

2 min read

It’s always a bit disconcerting when a notion forms in your mind and you cannot find a good word for it. Memory going bad? Mental energy running out? Ba...

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

The sustaining of social disharmony must end

2 min read

We have just entered a new year, so allow me to kick off this magazine’s fifth year in its present form with some observations about the central importa...

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

India In Our Minds

2 min read

Today, when we talk about the rise of China and India, we lazily think of them as similar items – ancient and rich civilisations coming into their own i...

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

All the World’s a Stage, and Who Else but We are Responsible for the Upkeep of the Theatre

3 min read

All things change. We can all agree on that. But what the density and swiftness of change in modern living have taught us is that there are harsh limits.We ar...

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

We all need Over Exposure

2 min read

Since our cover story for the month is about the future of education in Malaysia, I would like to take up the issue of exposure as a necessary element in the...

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Now that Cavemen Have Conquered the Earth…

3 min read

When we were cavemen, we lived in caves.And in the thousands of years since then, we have lived in everything else – from lean-tos to tents to log cab...

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

Governments and citizens who should be grateful to them?

2 min read

An important issue that should surface during coming debates about the impending Goods and Services Tax (GST) is how it affects the basic relation between the...

by Dato' Dr. Ooi Kee Beng