THE LAUNCH OF PENANG INSTITUTE’S FORUM FOR LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE (FLAG)
SPEECH BY THE CHIEF MINISTER OF PENANG YAB TUAN CHOW KON YEOW FOR THE LAUNCH OF PENANG INSTITUTE’S FORUM FOR LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE (FLAG)
17 October 2023 | 4pm
Penang Institute (South Wing)
Penang State Executive Councillors:
YB Rashidi bin Zinol
(Trade and Entrepreneurial Development & Rural Development)
YB Zairil Khir Johari (Infrastructure, Transport & Digital)
YB Wong Hon Wai (Tourism & Creative Economy)
YB Lim Siew Khim (Social Development, Welfare & Non-Islamic Religious Affairs)
YB H’ng Mooi Lye (Local Government and Town & Country Planning)
YB Gooi Zi Sen (Youth, Sports & Health)
YB Fahmi bin Zainol (Agrotechnology & Food Security and Cooperative Development)
Dato' Mohd Zakuan bin Haji Zakaria
Deputy Secretary to the Penang State Government (Development)
Dato’ Dr Ooi Kee Beng
Executive Director, Penang Institute
Heads of Agencies and Departments
Former Executive Directors of Penang Institute
Current Members of the Board of Directors of Penang Institute
Elected representatives,
Members of Media
Good afternoon, to all of you.
I congratulate Penang Institute for inaugurating the Forum for Leadership and Governance (FLAG) project. This was an issue that had been discussed at the Institute’s board meeting over the last two years. And now that the South Wing building is properly repaired, I am very happy to see that it will be used for the enhancement of the Public Policy Ecosystem in Penang.
This is a very commendable objective. Not only will the structure given to the FLAG project encourage our EXCOs and their office staff to participate in roundtable discussions with experts and think tankers, collaboration between GLCs will generate synergy for more effective and practical policy suggestions. Over time, the Penang public policy ecosystem will consist of a strong network of brain trusts and passionate individuals working together for change from below, and from above at the same time.
Indeed, Penang has many institutions populated by very capable people. Getting our talents to come together, to discuss issues, and to have everyone’s ideas captured and formulated as collectively agreed suggestions for the Penang State Government to consider is a commendable approach.
Ladies & Gentlemen,
Penang Institute is taking upon itself, through what it calls the Policy Development Forum (PDF) and the Dynamic Actions Plans that it will make constantly available online through Google Share, which are at the same time both discussions in progress and suggestions for policy discussions by the EXCO. This will be a great help to our EXCOs, both the old ones and new ones.
Invitations to PDF meetings to be held in this building, the South Wing, will be sent out in my name, and I would encourage that everyone invited, to attend and contribute towards building up our public policy ecosystem to help the Penang State Government to govern as well as it can.
Penang Institute’s podcasts and publications, including the EXCO Briefs that are for EXCO Eyes Only, have always been useful for anyone interested in Penang matters to read. This month, incidentally, the Penang Monthly celebrates its 14th anniversary. That is something for all of us to be proud of.
The new publication that Penang Institute is starting, the South Wing Papers, is another initiative expressive of the high ambition that the Institute has. I look forward to reading them.
The first two have already been printed and are in the welcome bag that you have all been given. This brief will act as a venue for serious discussions about leadership in Penang, in Malaysia, and in the World. All of you here today are leaders, so anyone wishing to write on communal leadership, Penang leadership, or national leadership or global leadership please contact Dato’ Dr Ooi Kee Beng.
The Institute is also doing podcasts. These are in three languages. Again, all of you here today should make use of them, in order to express your ideas and to spread them. It is also a commendable innovation for us to start thinking of policy making in terms of a supply chain. As with all industries, an effective supply chain is necessary if our policymaking is to climb up the value chain.
In the end, Penang must lead. We must inspire the rest of the country. And I am sure that the Forum for Leadership And Governance (The Flag Project) being launched today at Penang Institute, will be an engine that can take us towards good governance, inclusive development and a family-focused green and smart nation that inspires the country.
I congratulate Penang Institute and the board members, and I call on all present today to contribute towards improving the public policy ecosystem in Penang.
Thank you.