CL Lim to Debate Former Indonesian Finance Minister (20 March 2015)

BNM-OMFIF Inaugural KL Debate in conjunction with the 19th ASEAN Finance Ministers Meeting

Regional integration and global integration: is there a conflict?

Date: 20 March 2015

Venue: Plenary Theatre, Level 3, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre

Introduction: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is one of the fastest growing and most dynamic economic regions in the world and, with an expanding population of over 600m, is becoming a progressively more important force in the global economy. Against a backdrop of economic, cultural and political multiplicities, ASEAN today is heralded as a successful model for regionalism. By the end of 2015, the 10 member countries plan to realise the ASEAN Economic Community, an ambitious initiative with the potential to become one of the largest single markets in the world.

     With Dr. Zeti Akhtar Aziz, Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia, delivering the welcome address, the KL Debate will begin with the audience registering a pre-debate vote on whether regional integration comes at the expense of global integration. Speakers from both sides of the debate will then present their case, with the audience subsequently casting their final vote for comparison against the first.

     The speakers of the KL Debate are: 

• Dr Muhamad Chatib Basri, former Minister of Finance of Indonesia 
• Dr Ben Knapen, Permanent Representative in Brussels, European Investment Bank, and former State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands 
• Professor Chin Leng Lim, Professor of Law, The University of Hong Kong 
• Professor Michael G. Plummer, Director, SAIS Europe, and Eni Professor of International Economics, Johns Hopkins University 

The KL Debate will focus on the following themes: 

• Regional integration and whether this is contradictory to the WTO agenda 
• The growing role of regional cooperation initiatives and whether this weakens global effort 
• Whether growth will be driven by regional rather than global initiatives 
• The effect of different integration efforts 
• The rise of China and India as economic powers 
• Will sub-regional blocs lead to a fragmented Asia? 

Organiser: Bank Negara Malaysia , Persatuan Ekonomi Malaysia (Malaysian Economic Association)

For more information, please click here.  The talk is complimentary and please register your interest to attend the KL Debate with: mgt@pem.org.my or +603 7956 0075 / +603 7967 3647 (Attention: Ms. Normala or Ms. Nancee)