Bücher veröffentlicht von ISEAS-YUSOF ISHAK INSTITUTE

Over the past 20 years, gender relations and the expression of power and authority between men and women in Indonesia have been shaped by the forces of reformasi, decentralisation, a reassertion of central power, and economic transitions. These changes have given rise to policy reform, an increase in women's political representation, and new expressions of diverse gender identities. But to what extent has the 'gender order' of the New Order, where women's role as a mother was the basis of citizenship, been challenged or just found new articulations? What shape do contemporary contestations to gendered power take? The chapters in this volume bring gender to the centre stage and provide reflections on the political, economic, social, and cultural progress and barriers in achieving gender equality and diversity in Indonesia.

Public Financial Management: Cambodian Experiences is prepared by the General Secretariat of Public Financial Management Reform Steering Committee (GSC) to promote general understanding and knowledge of Public Financial Management (PFM) among government officials and the general public. The book starts with an overview of PFM in Cambodia, with a brief introduction to the discipline of public financial management. It then discusses Cambodia's experience in implementing PFM reform and its impact on public finance in general. After that, it also shows how PFM has reformed the government budgeting process and the challenges in its implementation. Finally, case studies of Cambodian reform efforts and selected ASEAN and OECD countries' experiences with PFM reform are presented. We, GSC hope that this book can be a good resource for those who are interested in PFM reform in Cambodia and lessons learnt for other developing countries.

What are trending Islamic ideas in Southeast Asia; how are they transmitted and who transmits them? These are questions that linger among the minds of policymakers, diplomats and scholars interested in Islam in Southeast Asia. Trending Islam maps and discusses key personalities, groups or institutions that influence Muslims in the region. This book dedicates more space to discuss the role of the Internet in disseminating religious discourses. Internet's role, in particular the use of social media either to advance interpretations of Islamic ideas or to gain influence in the public sphere, is becoming more significant as it allows information to spread faster and wider. While not discounting traditional issues such as extremism and terrorism, matters that continue to affect many people's lives in the region, the book delves into the interaction between violent and non-violent extremism and the liberal and progressive responses to them. Trending Islam covers the transmission of Islam in several countries and some case studies."This timely and important volume brings together scholars providing nuanced analyses of the current dynamics of Islam in Southeast Asia. This volume guides readers through the complexities of Muslims' evolving engagement with global modernity by exploring different aspects of Islam in the region. In addition to chapters devoted to understanding major actors and institutions, this volume also examines the transmission of Islamic ideas; assesses how multiple actors from diverse backgrounds, competing for Islamic interpretation and expression, are impacted by the Internet and social media; and discusses the paradoxes of established Muslim organizations and state-sponsored da'wah groups. A must-read for whoever is interested in Southeast Asian Islam!"--Noorhaidi Hasan, Professor in Islam and Politics at Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia of Jakarta and Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University of Yogyakarta

On 16 June 2021 the National Heritage Board announced the successful conclusion of the archaeological excavation of two shipwrecks at the eastern approach to Singapore. This maritime archaeology excavation, the largest in Singapore's waters, was conducted by the Archaeology Unit of the ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute over a six-year period. This book documents these two shipwrecks, complemented by essays on Singapore's maritime history, from Temasek in the fourteenth century through the emergence of country trade in the late eighteenth century. These two shipwrecks challenge us to rethink Singapore's history as globally connected, determined by what was happening on the seas in and around the island.

Southeast Asia's growing economic linkages with China have generated political opportunities and strategic concerns in equal measure. This study provides a fuller picture of Chinese investments in Southeast Asia for those seeking to understand its significance and impacts. From their carefully constructed dataset, Goh and Liu provide a regionwide, multi-sectoral analysis quantitative survey and analysis of key changes in Chinese investments in Southeast Asian economies over fifteen years, from 2005 to 2019. Additionally, they provide a qualitative assessment of the geopolitical significance of these trends and patterns. Thus, this study creates a baseline understanding of more recent Chinese investments in the region. In the near future, when a feasible data series can be collated for the years from 2020, it will also allow a sharper analysis of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Chinese investments in the region.

The global war on terrorism created pressure for Indonesia to improve its security measures for dealing with maritime terrorism. Following the 9/11 attacks and the 2002 Bali bombings, Indonesia has improved the security of its major ports and entered various international agreements to ensure its trading activities are not impeded. At the same time, in a bid to secure small ports and coastal areas in various parts of the country, preman-self-supporting, autonomous paramilitary-organizations began to play a greater role. This book explores the involvement of preman organizations in securing ports and coastlines in Jakarta, North Sulawesi, and the Riau Islands. The security of ports and coastal areas in the three provinces is of international importance because of their proximity to major sea lanes of communication. This book carefully maps out the tensions, contradictions, and implications of the use of preman organizations in the realization of Indonesia's efforts to be a truly democratic civil society.

The collective research effort of senior and junior scholars from Indonesia and beyond, The Road to Nusantara: Process, Challenges and Opportunities examines the political, economic, socio-cultural, security and environmental implications of President Joko Widodo's historic plan to move Indonesia's national capital from Jakarta to Nusantara, East Kalimantan. This volume will be of interest to policymakers, Indonesia's neighbours near and far, prospective investors, and students of Indonesia who wish to understand the complex challenges underlying this megaproject."The chapters in this book are important contributions to the study of Indonesia today .... Ground-breaking and meticulously documented using post-independence archival material and contemporary essays on new capitals .... Essential reading for a better understanding of the impetus behind Nusantara, made even more critical as the future of Nusantara hangs in the balance." -- Edward Lee Kwong Foo, Chairman of Indofood Agri Resources Ltd and former Singapore's Ambassador to Indonesia, 1994-2006

In June 1959, the British established the office of Yang di-Pertuan Negara (He Who is Made Lord) to replace the colonial governorship and represent Queen Elizabeth II in Singapore. Muhammad Suhail explores the divergent attempts to invest meaning in the Yang di-Pertuan Negara. In doing so, he weaves a rich story about the contesting ideas of sovereignty during the global age of decolonization. He Who is Made Lord is a captivating take on Singapore's emergence as a postcolonial nation, providing a gateway into the island's past as part of the Malay World, the British Empire and the Commonwealth of Nations."The Yang di-Pertuan Negara is a subject that has received only passing mentions in the Singapore Story. This book is the first detailed study to reveal not only the politics of its creation but also the cultural significance of the office. By delving into its multifaceted meanings, this insightful account offers readers a fascinating treatise on the office's connection with the momentous final years of British rule in the colony and Singapore's brief interlude in Malaysia." -- Associate Professor Albert Lau, Department of History, National University of Singapore"The end of the British Empire wrought considerable change across the globe, but it also left many legacies and questions such as what or who would replace the omnipotent Crown. He Who is Made Lord examines the neglected but fascinating story of how Singapore grappled with this issue, which was more delicate, nuanced and far reaching than most supposed. Muhammad Suhail has made an original, well-researched, and valuable study of the position of Head of State in Singapore during the last stages of colonialism and shows vividly that far from being of ceremonial or administrative interest, it touched on wider and deeper issues in Singaporean and Southeast Asian history and society, reflecting tensions of identity and hopes for the future." -- Dr Harshan Kumarasingham, School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh"In this ground-breaking book, Muhammad Suhail has meticulously scoured, scrutinized, and synthesized archival official records, newspaper articles, government publications, pictures, and websites to peel and expose the many layers of the hitherto overlooked office of the Yang di-Pertuan Negara of Singapore to reveal the contradictions, contestations, and constructions of the created office in the context of the tumultuous period of decolonization. Suhail also has laid bare the complex personality of the man who held this office, Yusof Ishak, exposing the myriad of faces, appearances, and roles he represented and was made to represent, appreciating his triumphs and weaknesses, but most importantly, humanizing him." -- Associate Professor Sher Banu A.L. Khan, Department of Malay Studies, National University of Singapore

Myanmar in Crisis brings together scholars from across the social sciences to analyse the dual crises of COVID-19 and the 2021 military coup. All of the essays address one of four themes around the concept of crisis: society in crisis, a state in crisis, an economy in crisis, and international relations in crisis. Several authors examine the contested nature of state authority in the post-coup revolutionary context, including the emergence of new governance dynamics; others discuss heterogenous forms of resistance and the potential for building a more inclusive, just, and tolerant society in the future of Myanmar. The volume also explores the economic crisis caused by the pandemic and the coup and its devastating effects on people's lives and livelihoods: the authors provide a deep dive into the impacts of restrictive COVID-19 prevention measures on local communities, the growing livelihoods crisis since the coup, and the impacts of both crises on foreign trade and investment. Scaling up from that local perspective, the book also looks at Myanmar's history of foreign relations, the response of the international community to the coup and the challenges faced by foreign governments and regional bodies in navigating the deteriorating political situation. Held together, the volume highlights the ongoing state of crisis in Myanmar, its impact on society and the possibilities for recovery and reform, amidst a powerful new revolutionary movement. Beyond providing crucial insights to Southeast Asian area specialists, the book offers deep insights into the way that multiple crises interact, amplify one another, and open up possibilities for hope amidst tragedy.

"This timely volume chronicles and analyses the intersection of rice policies and the pandemic through case studies of a diverse range of Southeast Asian countries: rice exporters, rice importers and city-states. There is no group of eminent researchers better suited to carrying out this work, and they conduct the analysis by illuminating the historical context that is essential to an understanding of rice policies in the region. This volume is a must-read for anyone interested in rice policies and politics in contemporary Southeast Asia."--David Dawe, Former Senior Economist with the International Rice Research Institute and the Food and Agricultural Organization."This is highly recommended reading for those interested in an up-to-date and in-depth treatment of the political economy of rice policies in five major ASEAN countries, one chapter per country. While the book title indicates a topical focus on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Southeast Asia's rice sector, these chapters are much more than this, giving considerable historical context leading up to the outbreak of the pandemic and looking forward after the pandemic."--Howarth Bouis, Laureate, World Food Prize; Emeritus Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute

"Southeast Asian Affairs, first published in 1974, continues today to be required reading for not only scholars but the general public interested in in-depth analysis of critical cultural, economic and political issues in Southeast Asia. In this annual review of the region, renowned academics provide comprehensive and stimulating commentary that furthers understanding of not only the region's dynamism but also of its tensions and conflicts. It is a must read." - Suchit Bunbongkarn, Emeritus Professor, Chulalongkorn University "Now in its fiftieth edition, Southeast Asian Affairs offers an indispensable guide to this fascinating region. Lively, analytical, authoritative, and accessible, there is nothing comparable in quality or range to this series. It is a must read for academics, government officials, the business community, the media, and anybody with an interest in contemporary Southeast Asia. Drawing on its unparalleled network of researchers and commentators, ISEAS is to be congratulated for producing this major contribution to our understanding of this diverse and fast-changing region, to a consistently high standard and in a timely manner." - Hal Hill, H.W. Arndt Professor Emeritus of Southeast Asian Economies, Australian National University

"There is an energizing boldness in this synthesis: the right big-picture questions aligning all the way down to the right complexities on the ground, and across the diverse territories that comprise contemporary Borneo. A manifesto for the kinds of cross-sectoral and applied research that can make the difference to the future of Borneo." Cynthia Ong, Chief Executive Facilitator, Forever Sabah"A surgical and timely compendium on the transformation of Borneo's forests and land use with clear regional implications. If you care about the future of conservation in this part of the world, you will find all the key ingredients here for its salvation."Gopalasamy Reuben Clements, Professor at Sunway University, Co-founder of Nature-Based Solutions"A perspective about balancing the future amidst the need for economic and social development while providing a better and more sustainable Borneo. It is something that you will need to help drive home change and make a sustainable impact for people and planet without compromising profit."Timothy Ong, Head of Circular Bio-economy Unit, Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA)

Wider Bagan: Ancient and Living Buddhist Traditions is the first book to define the area outside the renowned Buddhist capital where vestiges of Bagan era cultural traditions can be found. From nearly six hundred attributes inventoried in Wider Bagan, thematic and geographical analysis of the Wider Bagan data reveals a related but different trajectory from that of the capital. The Sasan¿ of the court was honoured, and though its economy profited many places across Wider Bagan, local resilience was foremost. While the capital and Wider Bagan existed in relation to each other, their aims and narratives differed. Much has been written about Bagan, but little attention on the ground has been devoted to areas beyond the capital. These places have stories to tell-ones of the past and of the present-that are narrated in this book."Wider Bagan is the most important recent publication on Myanmar's past. Tracing Bagan's ideational and material legacies, it recovers how this kingdom's successors related to their heritages. Meticulously researched, beautifully illustrated, studded with clear maps, tables and outlines-Wider Bagan reveals these legacies' custodians-inhabiting territories stretching as far as Yunnan and Bengal. Multiple topics are examined also in light of local scholarship, often ignored due to linguistic limitations. The resulting evocations of times and places make Wider Bagan an enduring guide to people's lives-also in the larger scheme of things-like the community tracing its founding to the Buddha Gotama's grandfather. No one interested in Myanmar's complex past and fractious present can ignore the author's conclusions."-Lilian Handlin, Member of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences CAMLab."In her detailed survey of hundreds of sites in the Ayeyarwady River basin, Moore and her collaborators have revealed a long-suspected, but hitherto undocumented, rural cultural landscape with origins well before and persisting long after the political heyday of metropolitan Bagan in the eleventh through thirteenth centuries. During their investigations, the authors had numerous encounters with local scholar-archaeologists who identified frequently overlooked physical attributes that define the local cultural landscape. In mapping these attributes, the authors reconstructed a narrative of local resilience that speaks to a long local history of diversity and adaptability over an extensive region, where other scholars-working mainly from historical chronicles-had observed only a rigid hegemony emanating from the political centre at Bagan.Moore's innovative methodology breaks new ground for the study of early urban formations, not only in Myanmar but throughout mainland Southeast Asia. This research contributes to a building body of evidence that suggests a fresh paradigm to replace the long-standing concentric circle model most often used to explain state formation throughout the region. In this new paradigm, the contradiction between urban and rural settlements is dismantled as the stories of the smaller villages and towns re-enact the iterative process between places, communities of users, and social memory of Wider Bagan, demonstrating, in the process, an ecology of resilient settlement that has endured through generations of political, social and economic upheaval."-Richard A. Engelhardt, UNESCO Chair Professor of Cultural Heritage Management and Regional Advisor for Culture in Asia and the Pacific

The Climate Change in Southeast Asia Workshop and Compendium Series is a platform to facilitate and promote research on climate-related issues in the Southeast Asian region. Organized by the Climate Change in Southeast Asia Programme at the ISEAS ¿ Yusof Ishak Institute, the objective of this platform is to facilitate knowledge exchange and share best practices to deepen understanding of the complex and multidimensional nature of climate change. This inaugural publication sheds light on varied and contextual experiences of Southeast Asian urban communities in addressing climate challenges and scenarios for future policy making.

As in many other oil and gas dependent countries, Brunei Darussalam-a country with a small population but the second highest income per capita in Southeast Asia-has been diversifying its economy in three sectors: from oil and gas to other sectors of export/economic growth; from the dominance of public sector employment to a more balanced public and private sectors employment; and from heavy dependence on foreign labours to development of local talents. This book examines the current socio-economic development in the journey toward a diversified social economy, as targeted in Brunei Vision 2035. By examining the unique context of Brunei, this book fills in the gap on studies focusing on socio-economic diversification. It highlights the importance of the environment, digital technology and human capital in the diversification process. The book culminates with analyses on business, economy, employment and welfare in Brunei toward 2035, with a new face: a digitalized, sustainable and self-reliant society with a highly developed human capital and a flourishing private sector."This is a very useful analysis of the challenges facing Brunei Darussalam as the country prepares itself for the 21st century. We are in an unprecedented period of human connectivity facilitated by an increasingly digitalised and high-tech world. The transition which the people, policy and business sectors have to undergo, and survive, is a fascinating learning journey for a small state. This book has succinctly highlighted the experiences we should pick up and apply where relevant for our respective countries going forward." -- Ambassador Ong Keng Yong, Executive Deputy Chairman, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; and the 11th Secretary-General of ASEAN"This forward-looking study of the Brunei economy is timely and topical. Appropriately, the authors identify 'diversification' as the country's key economic challenge, in preparation for the exhaustion of oil reserves and as the world progressively decarbonises. To this end they set out a comprehensive reform agenda focused on education, the labour market, social policy, the development of non-oil industries, environmental objectives and much else. This is a very useful and informative guide not only for the Brunei government and society, but also for neighbouring ASEAN member states." -- Professor Emeritus Hal Hill, Australian National University"This collection fills a considerable gap in our knowledge of the socio-economic circumstances and developmental trajectories of Brunei Darussalam. In particular, it serves as a major and much needed contribution to our understanding of the challenges of economic diversification in an oil- and gas-dependent sultanate." -- Professor Emeritus Victor T. King, University of Leeds"This book aims to identify and discuss the various issues about, challenges faced by, and opportunities from Brunei's diversification of her oil-dependent economy in response to the changing economic landscape at the national, regional and global levels. The various chapters provide a comprehensive analysis of the different sectors of Brunei's economy, and the authors' clear discussion of their arguments and justifications that are substantiated with relevant data and graphical illustrations, and a wide range of primary and secondary materials. I would like to congratulate the authors for this excellent book and recommend it to those who are interested in knowing and understanding Brunei's economy." -- Associate Professor Teofilo C. Daquila, National University of Singapore

Founded in Singapore in 1893, the Straits Philosophical Society was a society for the "critical discussion of questions in Philosophy, History, Theology, Literature, Science and Art". Its membership was restricted to graduates of British and European universities, fellows of British or European learned societies and those with "distinguished merit in the opinion of the Society in any branch of knowledge". Its closed-door meetings were an important gathering place for the educated elite of the colony, comprising colonial civil servants, soldiers, missionaries, businessmen, as well as prominent Straits Chinese members. Notable members included the botanist Henry Ridley, the missionary W.G. Shellabear and Straits Chinese reformers like Lim Boon Keng and Tan Teck Soon.Throughout its years of operation, the Society left behind a collection of papers presented by its members, the vast majority of which conformed to the Society's founding rule that its geographical position should influence its work. This produced a large corpus of literature on colonial Malaya which provides important insights into the logic and dynamics of colonial thought in the period before the First World War. In reproducing a collection of these papers this volume highlights the role of the Society in the development of ideas of race, Malayness, colonial modernization, urban government and debates over the political and socio-economic future of the colony.By republishing these papers, The Straits Philosophical Society & Colonial Elites in Malaya seeks to contribute to the intellectual history of colonial and post-colonial Malaysia and Singapore, and to expand our understanding of the ways in which colonial thought has shaped governing systems of the past and present."The editors of this thoughtful collection remind us how much Malaya's past could be differently evaluated with generational change. A small collection of the papers had first been published when the British Empire was at the high point of imperial confidence. After two World Wars, in the face of an unforgiving anti-colonialism, most of the papers were forgotten and nearly lost. Reading them in the twenty-first century, we can see how many of the problems of race, identity and social order that were discussed a century ago are still with us. I recommend that the papers be read afresh. With this selection, the editors have done us a favour by inviting us to ask ourselves: Have we become wiser? Do we have better answers? For that, they deserve our thanks."--Wang Gungwu, University Professor, National University of Singapore"What a treasure Lim Teck Ghee has unearthed! To complement the dry official record of CO273 and the public pleading of the newspapers, we can now peer into the private passions and prejudices of the British (and some Chinese) elite at just the period they began to see themselves as architects of a new colonial social order. Their views were often well-informed, and ambitious to bring the latest theories to bear on Malaya. Robustly controversial, they were not politically correct even by the standards of the times. The editors deserve much praise and gratitude for having not only assembled these twenty-seven short papers but made them handily available to readers and provided an insightful introduction."-- Anthony Reid, Professor Emeritus, Australian National University

Despite significant improvements in many health outcomes over the past 60 years, many chronic problems in Indonesia's health system including financial sustainability, governance and inequities in accessing health care have long been apparent, even before the COVID-19 pandemic. The epidemiological transition associated with demographic and socioeconomic change in recent decades makes Indonesia one of many countries that still struggle to address the issues of communicable, maternal and nutritional diseases while facing an increasing burden of non-communicable diseases.The contributors to In Sickness and In Health: Diagnosing Indonesia investigate challenges and opportunities facing the Indonesian health system and assess hurdles that Indonesians have to navigate in their quest to achieve a longer and better quality of life. Politics shaping recent health policy reforms in Indonesia, barriers to the supply of specialist doctors and quality medicines, availability of accurate health and population data, and the financial toll of the COVID-19 pandemic are among the topics discussed in this book. Accessing essential health services for mothers and children and for those living with disability, discrimination and mental illness, as well as an innovative trial to control dengue, are also examined.

New Chinese migration is a recent development that has just entered an initial phase. An overarching theme and conclusion across the sixteen chapters in this volume is that China's policy towards Chinese migrants has changed from period to period, and it is still too early for us to determine if Beijing will continue to pursue the policy of luoye guigen (return to original roots) or will revert to one of luodi shenggen (sink into local roots). The various chapters also show that the profile, motivations and outlooks of xin yimin (new Chinese migrants) have become more diverse, while local reactions to these new migrants have become less accommodating with increasing nationalism.

"This collection of essays provides a wealth of information and analysis about the Philippine economy and the role of agriculture and economic policy in it. The Philippine experience has been quite different from the highly successful Asian economies, with a long period of low growth until the turn of the century and only then greater success. The authors cover not only the Philippine experience but also place it in its Asian context and that of developing countries more generally. They report on the lessons learned, both positive and negative, from the various economic policies that have been adopted, with regard to both agriculture and to economic inequality. Those interested in Philippine economic development, and Asian development more broadly, will find this an important reference work."-Anne O. Krueger, Senior Research Professor, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies; 1st Deputy Managing Director, IMF (2001-6); Vice-President of Economics and Research, World Bank (1982-86)

This book shows why Vietnam has not become the dragon it is often touted to be. The team of authors include both long-time observers and junior scholars who present cutting-edge research on the latest trends as well as major challenges facing the country's economy and political system. As Vietnam seeks to escape from poverty and the legacies of mistaken socialist policies, its economy has become fully integrated into the global economy. Yet, without an effective and far-sighted leadership, it is still occupying a low position in the global value chains and becoming increasingly dependent on China. Politically, after three decades of reform, the Vietnamese Communist Party's grip on power has well adapted to the market economy, but is confronting deep vulnerabilities as observed in its eroding ability to control workers, the media, public universities, and state-owned enterprises. The book also includes a section that applies formal and statistical methods to compare Vietnam with China in two critical areas of political accountability and anti-corruption policy.

"As a historian, Charnvit Kasetsiri is not satisfied simply to have found an instructive angle from which to explore the mysteries in a modern experimental monarchy. His keen sense of time has filled his narrative with insights that only a few people could have identified. To me, that is a mark of one with a fine sense of what the past can mean. I thank him for the chance to see this mature and thoughtful Charnvit at work and commend this book to everyone who wants to understand Thailand better." -- Wang Gungwu, National University of Singapore"Charnvit makes clear in the final pages of Thailand: A Struggle for the Nation that he is not very sanguine about the country's future. During Thailand's democratic spring in 1974, the Thai constitution was changed to allow female succession. This apparent loosening of male prerogative had no effect on the reign change in 2016 when the designated male heir, Prince Vajiralongkorn, succeeded without challenge to become the tenth Bangkok king. Communism, long gone as the spectre that once haunted Thailand's political order, has been replaced by another. The spectre now haunting Thailand is authoritarianism." -- Craig J. Reynolds, Australian National University

"Southeast Asian Affairs, first published in 1974, continues today to be required reading for not only scholars but the general public interested in in-depth analysis of critical cultural, economic and political issues in Southeast Asia. In this annual review of the region, renowned academics provide comprehensive and stimulating commentary that furthers understanding of not only the region's dynamism but also of its tensions and conflicts. It is a must read." - Suchit Bunbongkarn, Emeritus Professor, Chulalongkorn University "Now in its forty-ninth edition, Southeast Asian Affairs offers an indispensable guide to this fascinating region. Lively, analytical, authoritative, and accessible, there is nothing comparable in quality or range to this series. It is a must read for academics, government officials, the business community, the media, and anybody with an interest in contemporary Southeast Asia. Drawing on its unparalleled network of researchers and commentators, ISEAS is to be congratulated for producing this major contribution to our understanding of this diverse and fast-changing region, to a consistently high standard and in a timely manner." - Hal Hill, H.W. Arndt Professor of Southeast Asian Economies, Australian National University

The story of Penang would be incomplete without the Big Five Hokkien families (the Khoo, the Cheah, the Yeoh, the Lim, and the Tan). It was the Big Five who played a preponderant role not only in transforming Penang into a regional entrepot and a business and financial base, but also in reconfiguring maritime trading patterns and the business orientation of the region in the nineteenth century. Departing from the colonial vantage point, this book examines a web of transnational, hybrid and fluid networks of the Big Five comprising of family relationship, sworn brotherhood, political alliance and business partnerships, which linked Penang and its surrounding states (western Malay states, southwestern Siam, southern Burma, and the north and eastern coasts of Sumatra) together to form one economically unified geographical region, having inextricable links to China and India. With these intertwining networks, the Big Five succeeded in establishing their dominance in all the major enterprises (trade, shipping, cash crop planting, tin mining, opium revenue farms), which constituted the linchpin of Penang's and its region's economy. By disentangling and dissecting this intricate web of networks, this book reveals the rise and decline of the Hokkien mercantile families' nearly century-long economic ascendancy in Penang and its region.