Penang Hospital for the Orient
19 min read
Nearly four years ago, a CNBC special report highlighted Malaysia’s rapidly expanding medical tourism sector. It was a surprise for many viewers that the...
A Fresh Paradigm for Penang
5 min read
The Penang Paradigm is a comprehensive development agenda for Penang in the coming decade. Prepared by the Penang Institute, it seeks to strengthen three key pr...
Regional outlook
4 min read
Southeast Asia in 2013 and Beyond: Its Global Role and ChallengeKeynote Address: Jusuf Kalla Former Vice President, Republic of IndonesiaEconomic progress r...
Surviving G4's Crisis Measures
11 min read
Policies in G4 countries (the US, Europe, Japan and the UK) are likely to shape economic strategies and the global economic environment for years to come. Their...
Ensuring Growth to Ensure Sustainability
6 min read
The Singapore government recently faced public outcry following the release of a white paper on its country’s projected population growth rate. The paper...
Teeming, Tranquil Hanoi
5 min read
When you first wake up in the morning, you might not see Hanoi, but you can definitely hear it. This non-stop beep beep beep of motorbikes and cars accompanie...
How Far can Indonesia's Consumption-Driven Growth Go?
6 min read
The economic boom is visible in Jakarta, where construction leads the capital city's entry into a 21st century economy; the drive from the airport into the cent...
GE 13 can Cement Malaysia's Two-Coalition System
6 min read
Voters, you have to decide soon. The 13th general election (GE13) has to be held, at the latest, within two months of April 28, when the current government&rsqu...
One Party Rule Fades Away
7 min read
It’s now the fifth anniversary of the political tsunami of March 8, 2008. It’s also the 50th anniversary of Malaysia, the 67th year of Umno and the...
The Simple Life
To any islander, travelling to the mainland can almost be like travelling to another state or country. Kampung houses litter the vast, serene landscape, with la...
Early Days in Balik Pulau
9 min read
In March 1807 the East India Company’s assistant surveyor in Penang, Jeremiah McCarthy, was sent to reconnoitre the western part of the island. McCarthy h...
A Perfect Italian Lunch
3 min read
It’s always hard to find a great place for a business lunch. Somewhere not too stuffy, but still with good ambience. Somewhere with great food, and servic...