Press Releases

Press Statement – Inaugural Penang in the World Conference 6-7 August 2016

George Town, 2 August 2016

In conjunction with the launch of the Penang Institute’s new office building and conference hall, an international conference will be held on 6-7 August 2016 at the institute’s premises.

The inaugural Penang in the World Conference marks the first in what is planned to be the Penang Institute’s flagship annual conference. With the objectives of projecting Penang as a leading city in the region and the Penang Institute as a premier think tank in Malaysia, the conference seeks to bring together views of local and international thought leaders on key issues and challenges that are relevant to Penang, Malaysia and the world.

The inaugural Penang in the World Conference on 6-7 August 2016 will cover topics such as:

– State of the Global Economy: Implications for ASEAN

– Southeast Asian Economies Under Stress

– Generational Change

– Penang’s Software: History, Culture, Liveability

– ASEAN’s Future: How to Rescue it

To discuss these important issues, the conference will feature prominent speakers from all over the world, such as former Finance Minister of Indonesia Dr Muhamad Chatib Basri. In addition to speaking on a panel, Dr Basri will also be delivering a special dinner lecture.

Other luminaries gracing the conference include Penang Institute Distinguished Fellow Professor Dato’ Dr Woo Wing Thye, Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) President Dr Somkiat Tangkitvanich, Singapore’s ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute Deputy Director Dr Ooi Kee Beng, CEO of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) Wan Saiful Wan Jan, Khazanah Research Institute Director of Research Dr Muhammed Khalid and Professor of Political Science, Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, University of Albany, Dr Meredith Weiss.

Additionally, the conference will also feature 20-year- old social entrepreneur Calvin Woo, the recent recipient of the prestigious Queen’s Young Leader Award from Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II. He will be speaking on generational change and the role of youth in effecting transformation.

To provide perspectives on the above topics from the Penang point of view, the conference will also include presentations by in-house researchers from the Penang Institute. This will also serve an opportunity for the institute to promote our research findings on various topics to a larger audience.

As the world and the region faces challenging times, it is important that Penang adapts and positions itself ahead of the game, socially, politically and economically. This will be the topic of the keynote address, which will be delivered by Chief Minister of Penang Lim Guan Eng.

For more information regarding the conference, please contact the Penang Institute by email at siouwoon.ong@penanginstitute.org or by phone at 04-228- 3306 ext 230.

Zairil Khir Johari
Executive Director, Penang Institute