Foreword

Summary

Since the conference co-organized by ISEAS and SERI took place in June 2010 from which the papers that constitute this book, the latter think-tank has undergone a major organizational transformation.

Most significantly, SERI became Penang Institute in August 2011. This name change proclaimed a consolidation of research initiatives aimed at strengthening institutional competence in selected fields; helping the state and federal government in key policy areas; and positioning the institute within the growing regional context with the conviction that economic growth must immediately involve new thinking about emerging issues affecting East Asia in order for its impact to be broad and responsible.

The ideas discussed in this volume are in line with this ambition, following as it does on the earlier publication in the Penang Studies Series, Pilot Studies for a New Penang (ISEAS and SERI 2010). More volumes are in the making, geared towards turning Penang Studies into a discipline that not only discusses the finer points of sub-national development and its connection to national and regional well-being, but also illustrates the regionalism that has always informed Penang's culture, politics and economy.

We are thankful to ISEAS and its former Director, Ambassador K. Kesavapany, for his cooperation in our projects, and to all the scholars and friends of Penang who have contributed in various ways to bring this second volume to completion.

We live in exciting but difficult times. Such times throw forth new challenges that are best met by the region's best minds working together, constructing new concepts and ideas and bringing these to public attention. National perspectives need to be complemented by subnational and regional ones at the same time if we are to have a good chance of breaking the back of the serious problems troubling our times, such as shortages involving water and food, crises involving urban sprawl and poverty; and climate change and global warming.