Front Cover: The energy sector globally and in the region is in a knot. For the year in passing, fuel shortages and skyrocketing prices have disrupted life for the industrial giants as well as the man in the street. Energy security has become part of strategic planning. This year’s picture on the Annual Report continues the practice of identifying a regional challenge which is also reflected in the ISEAS research agenda — in this case, the growing concern with energy security. (Illustration by Lee Meng Hui) InsideFrontCover 2 8/24/06, 10:46 AM A REGIONAL RESEARCH CENTRE DEDICATED TO THE STUDY OF SOCIO-POLITICAL, SECURITY, AND ECONOMIC TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA AND ITS WIDER GEOSTRATEGIC AND ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT 00 AContent 05-06 1-3 1 8/24/06, 4:58 PM 00 AContent 05-06 1-3 2 8/24/06, 4:58 PM Contents Executive Summary 4 Mission Statement 8 Organizational Structure 9 Research Programmes and Activities 13 Public Affairs Unit 36 Publications Unit 45 ISEAS Library 48 Administration 58 Computer Unit 59 Appendices 61 I Research Staff 62 II Visiting Researchers and Affiliates 70 III Fellowships and Scholarship Recipients 79 IV Public Lectures, Conferences, and Seminars 80 V New Publications by ISEAS, 2005–06 90 VI Donations, Grants, Contributions, and Fees Received 93 Financial Statements as at 31 March 2006 together with Auditors’ Report (separate supplement) 00 AContent 05-06 1-3 3 8/24/06, 4:58 PM Executive Summary rom the tsunami that devastated Southeast On the political front, Southeast Asia was studied on F Asia in December 2004 to the holding of the both a country and a regional basis. While the focus inaugural East Asian Summit (EAS) a year later, of country analyses was Indonesia and Malaysia, dramatically opposed events nevertheless other important countries received due attention. proclaimed the interdependence that marks the ISEAS held the annual Vietnam Update conference region and links it to other regions. ISEAS, which and the biennial Myanmar Update, both in was set up to monitor Southeast Asian events and collaboration with the Research School of Pacific and trends, kept its attention trained on issues in Asian Studies of the Australian National University. Southeast Asian economics, politics, and society, and on the region’s interactions with its broader Happily, terrorism did not claim as much of the Asian environment. Economics, energy, and trends regional agenda as it had done in previous years. in Islam were among the issues that it tracked Nevertheless, trends in religious thinking and closely. practice continued to provide grounds for scholarly investigation and debate. ISEAS kept in view the In economics, ISEAS focused on trade policy and diversity and complexity of Muslim thinking in free trade agreements (FTAs) during the year. The Southeast Asia so that terrorism, while undoubtedly work included a study that applied the disciplines a crucial issue, did not overshadow other of economics and law to work out a draft template developments on the Muslim social and intellectual to assist those negotiating FTAs between ASEAN scene. ISEAS continued to track terrorism, particularly and its dialogue partners. The Institute also held a maritime security, but it also emphasized the study symposium to throw light on the reasons for the of trends in Islam through a number of seminars and apparent discrepancies in trade data released by forums, including one on Southeast Asian perspectives Southeast and East Asian countries. on Wahhabism. Experts on Islamic education in Southeast Asia were brought together for a one-day ASEAN developments continued to feature workshop on the role of Islamic education in prominently on the Institute’s work agenda. A producing religious and community leaders. workshop was held on the proposed ASEAN Charter and a report on it was published and submitted to Looking beyond Southeast Asia, Singapore’s and the Eminent Persons Group appointed by ASEAN ASEAN’s engagement with external powers remained to make recommendations on the Charter. ISEAS high on the Institute’s priorities. Following forums on economists continued to monitor progress towards ASEAN-Japan, ASEAN-India, and ASEAN-China ASEAN economic integration. relations held in 2003 and 2004, a conference on 4 01 AExe.Summary 4-12 4 8/24/06, 6:03 PM strengthening ASEAN-Korea relations, followed by on “Water Issues in Southeast Asia” that brought a public forum, was held in September 2005. together experts on water pollution, water recycling, ISEAS continued to reach out to other research reservoir management, and the privatization of institutes and to think tanks. It initiated an exchange water supplies. A roundtable on the Asian tsunami programme with the Observer Research Foundation, explored the developmental, environmental, and a leading Indian think tank. security implications of the catastrophe from an inter-disciplinary angle. Energy security, the new front in the economics of war and peace, has entrenched itself as a critical Apart from its work as a scholarly community, the area of the Institute’s work. Several expert forums Institute is aware of the importance of public and seminars were held on the subject. ISEAS is outreach activities, in the form of public lectures, setting up a centre to study energy and energy- forums, and seminars, to remain relevant to a wider related issues. audience. These activities continued at high frequency. There were two Singapore Lectures The year 2005 was the 60th anniversary of the end during the year, delivered by the Presidents of of the Second World War. Since that war had such South Africa and India. There were seven public a profound effect on developments in Asia in lectures by eminent foreign leaders, officials, or subsequent years, ISEAS brought together scholars; and numerous major workshops, 13 scholars from within and outside Southeast Asia seminars, and forums, including the annual for a one-day conference on the legacies of the Regional Outlook Forum and the Regional Strategic war. Their papers are being prepared for and Political Development Forum. The Institute, publication as a book. which initiated webcasting in 2004, continued to utilize this medium to reach out to local and On the social and cultural front, issues that ISEAS international audiences. ISEAS fellows and visiting addressed include language, national identity, fellows were also kept busy with formal and gender, and the cultural aspects of globalization. A informal briefings for visiting dignitaries, academics, workshop was held on Cultural Globalization in government officials, diplomats, and students from Southeast Asia and another on Gender Issues and junior colleagues and universities. Among those HIV/AIDS in the region. briefed on the Institute’s programmes and activities was Mr George Yeo, Singapore’s Minister for ISEAS is increasingly adopting an inter-disciplinary Foreign Affairs, who paid an informal visit to the approach to issues. One example was a conference Institute on 11 October 2005. 5 01 AExe.Summary 4-12 5 8/24/06, 6:03 PM Notwithstanding new demands on the time of The increase in activities and programmes has researchers, ISEAS maintained its three journals placed considerable demand on the limited (Contemporary Southeast Asia, the ASEAN resources of the ISEAS Library, which saw increasing Economic Bulletin, and SOJOURN) as well as the use of its wide range of facilities. Its online catalogue annual publication, Southeast Asian Affairs. These recorded 399,203 hits this financial year compared publications, together with the research output in with 45,611 in the previous financial year. The the form of books, have added to ISEAS’ Library has actively supported ISEAS research by reputation in Southeast Asian Studies. publishing specialized bibliographies and mounting Mr George Yeo (sixth from left), Minister for Foreign Affairs, visited ISEAS on 11 October 2005. 6 01 AExe.Summary 4-12 6 8/24/06, 6:03 PM book displays. The Publications Unit has been kept Academic Title, it ranks among the books that are extremely busy with a record production of 57 most highly recommended for the collections of publications, making ISEAS the largest publisher of academic libraries, having been shortlisted into the scholarly books on Southeast Asia. An ISEAS top 3 per cent of 23,000 books. Finally but not publication, Durga’s Mosque: Central Javanese least, the Computer Unit has undertaken a major Islam, by Stephen C. Headley was selected in the revamp of the ISEAS website to enhance its United States for inclusion in Choice’s annual features and make it even more user-friendly. “Outstanding Academic Titles”. As an Outstanding Crown Prince of Perak, HRH Raja Dr Nazrin Shah (seated, third from left), at ISEAS with officials from the Perak Academy, Malaysian High Commissioner to Singapore, HE Dato’ N. Parameswaran (seated, extreme left) and ISEAS staff on 15 March 2006. 7 01 AExe.Summary 4-12 7 8/24/06, 6:04 PM Mission Statement he Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) researchers in the networking process by serving T was established as an autonomous as a centre that provides a congenial and organization in 1968. It is a regional research centre stimulating intellectual environment, encouraging dedicated to the study of socio-political, security, the fullest interaction and exchange of ideas in an and economic trends and developments in unfettered ambience. ISEAS is dedicated to long- Southeast Asia and its wider geostrategic and term reflective analysis and investigation in the best economic environment. traditions of scholarship. The Institute also seeks to stimulate thinking on, and exploring solutions to, In addition to stimulating research and debate some of the major salient issues in the region. within scholarly circles, ISEAS endeavours to enhance public awareness of the region and To achieve these aims, the Institute conducts a facilitate the search for viable solutions to the range of research programmes; holds conferences, varied problems confronting the region.