National Council of the Union of Burma

Mr. Teddy Buri

Mr. Buri, an elected member of Parliament of the National League of Democracy (NLD) during the 1990 General Elections,  is currently President of the Members of Parliament Union of Burma; Vice Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of National Council of the Union of Burma (NCUB) and Advisor of United Nationalities League for Democracy-Liberated Area. Mr. Buri left Burma in 1994 and worked with the Karenni National Progressive Party. He was also the minister for the Prime Minister’s Office of the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma. Mr. Buri was awarded his Bachelor Degree of Arts by Rangoon University.

Mr. Thein Oo

Mr. Oo is also an elected Member of Parliament in 1990 representing the Mandalay South-west community. A lawyer, he chaired and co-founded the Burma Lawyers’ League. He is also coordinator of the Human Rights Documentation Unit of the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma. This unit has published human rights annual reports for the last eight years. He is also the team leader of the Federal Constitution Drafting Committee (FCDC) of the National Council of the Union of Burma.  

Cambodia: Sam Rainsy Party

Mr. Sam Rainsy, MP

The French-educated leader of the national opposition of the Kingdom of Cambodia started his career in Paris, working for the most prestigious investment and banking companies until he founded his own investment firm. He began his political career with Prince Ranariddh's FUNCINPEC party, becoming a European representative for the prince in 1989. Mr. Rainsy returned to Cambodia in 1992, and became finance minister after the royalist FUNCINPEC's success in the 1993 elections. He was stripped of his seat in parliament and a year later founded his own party, the Khmer Nation Party. Before the 1998 elections, the Khmer Nation Party changed its name to the Sam Rainsy Party. Mr. Sam served as CALD Chairman from 1999 to 2001.

Madam Tioulong Saumura, MP

Madam Tioulong obtained her MBA as well as Bachelor Degree in Political Science from the University of Paris. She later started her successful business career in Paris. From 1993 to 1995, she became the Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Cambodia. Madam Tioulong has been supporting the democratic development in Cambodia since she was in Paris.

Senator Ung Bun Ang

Mr. Ung Bun Ang is the spokesperson of the Sam Rainsy Party. An accountant by profession, he was instrumental in building a strong base of SRP supporters amongst the Cambodian diaspora in Australia. He later became a senator of the Kingdom of Cambodia.  

Hong Kong: Democratic Party

Mr. Martin C.M. Lee, MP

Mr. Lee is the founding Chairman (1994-2002) of the Democratic Party, Hong Kong’s largest and most popular political party. Mr. Lee is a barrister. In 1979, he was appointed Queen’s Counsel and was the chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association from 1980-1983. Mr. Lee is active in community and social services. He chaired the Hong Kong Consumer Council from 1988 to 1991, and continues to serve as legal advisor to a number of professional bodies. Mr. Lee received a B.A. degree from the University of Hong Kong and studies law at Lincoln’s Inn in London. Mr. Lee has been granted several international awards from 1995 to 2000. He is CALD’s first individual member.

Mr. Chung-Kai Sin, MP

Mr. Sin is a member of Legislative Council, Regional Council and District Board in Hong Kong. He is currently the member and advisor of several IT-related public services in Hong Kong.  Mr. Sin was awarded his M.B.A. from Chinese University of Hong Kong.

India: Congress Party and BJD

Mr. Ajay Maken, MP

Mr. Maken was elected as the Member of Legislative Assembly in 1993 by the maximum percentage of votes from Rajouri Garden Assembly constituency. He was re-elected to second Legislative Assembly in general elections held in November 1998 when the Congress Party came into power.  Not only in Delhi, but even in the other parts of the country, Ajay Maken's ability and his knowledge on working of democratic institution as a legislator has been highly acclaimed.  He was sworn in as the Minister of Transport, Tourism & Power, Government of NCT  of Delhi on 6th December 2001.  After the elections for the third Assembly Ajay Maken not only won with a massive margin but also became one of the youngest ever Speaker of the Assembly in the country, thus adding another feather to his cap.

Mr. Tathagata Satpathy, MP

A journalist and pilot by profession, Mr. Satpathy is a  member of parliament from the Biju Janata  Dal-Dhenkanal Party, a regional political party.  He was a Member of the Orissa Legislative Assembly, member of the Committee on Finance and Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Urban Affairs and Employment

Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle  (PDIP)

National Awakening Party (PKB)

Mr.  Heri Akhmadi, MP

Mr. Akhmadi is currently the member of parliament of the Republic of Indonesia and member of the working team, Indonesia-Japan Economic Cooperation. From 2002 to 2004, he was Vice Chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) faction in the People’s Consultative Assembly, the vice chairman of commission VI (Religion, Education, Culture and Tourism) and member of various committees, including budget, of the House of Representatives. Mr. Akhmadi graduated from Bandung Institute of Technology and School of International Studies of American University. From 1991-1992, he was a visiting fellow in SEAP Cornell University in New York.

Mr. Hasto Kristiyanto, MP

Mr. Kristiyanto is a Member of Parliament and the Head of Electoral Winning Department of PDI-P. He has been involved in the Indonesian electoral activities for PDI-P. From 1999 to 2000, Mr. Kristiyanto was the project control manager for the study for development of foundation model of Nuclear Power Plant Ujung Lemah Abang, and the project manager for the executive of Crude Palm Oil Mill Project. Mr. Kristiyanto has attended several training conducted by the National Democratic Institute and Friedrich Naumann Stiftung from 2001 to 2002. Mr. Kristiyanto graduated from Gadjah Mada University and pursued further education in Prasetiya Mulya Business School.

Ms. Gefarina Djohan

M. Djohan is the Chairperson of the Central Board of the National Awakening Party (PKB).  At present, she is a lecturer in political studies at  State Islamic University (UIN) and has served in the UNDP New Delhi office in India and with the Indonesian Embassy also in New Delhi. She earned her B.A. and Post Graduate Standard in Comparative Religion at the  Government Institute Of  Islamic Studies (IAIN) in Jakarta, and her MA in Political Science at the Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi India

Mr. Hermawi Fransiskus Taslim

Mr. Taslim is the Deputy Secretary-General of the Central Board of National Awakening Party (PKB); Chief of Legal Division of Indonesian Computer Entrepreneur Association; Chief of Organization Development, National Working Board, Communication Forum of Indonesian Catholics College Society and Chief of National Board, Indonesian Catholic Democracy Solidarity. Mr. Taslim graduated from the Law Faculty of the University of Sumatera Utara and he also took postgraduate studies in the University of Indonesia.

Democratic Party of Japan

Mr. Takashi Nagayasu, MP

Mr. Nagayasu was elected to the House of Representatives in 2003. He is currently the member of Committee on Land Infrastructure and Transport, and the member of Deliberative Council on Political Reform. Mr. Nagayasu is also the member of Election Campaign Committee of the Democratic Party. Before his involvements in the political field, Mr. Nagaysu worked in Mitsui & Co. Ltd, and spent some time studying Chinese in Taiwan before his appointment to Mitsui Peking Branch. Mr. Nagayasu graduated from Faculty of Engineering of the University of Tokyo

Mr. Takuya Tasso, MP

Mr. Takuya Tasso is a member of parliament from the Iwate district. A former diplomat, Mr. Tasso worked with the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs ever since his graduation from Faculty of Law of the University of Tokyo. He had worked as the Second Secretary of Japanese Embassy in Washington; the Assistant Director of the Japanese Embassy in Singapore and also the Minister’s Secretary.

Malaysia: People’s Movement Party

Mr. Chia Kwang Chye, MP

Mr. Chia is the Deputy Minister for Internal Security, Member of Parliament for Bukit Bendera Constituency and the Secretary General of the Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia (People’s Movement Party). Mr. Chia graduated from Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok, and graduated with honors from the University of Science.

Ms. Tan Lian Hoe, MP

Ms. Tan is currently Member of Parliament, Deputy Secretary of Women National, Women Perak State Chairwoman, Bukit Gantang Division Chairwoman and  Chairwoman of the Kota Jaya Branch of Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia. She graduated with honors from Department of Education of University f Malaysia, and further achieved her master degree from North University of Malaysia.

Senator Seevaratnam Vijayaratnam

Dr. Vijayaratnam is a senator in Malaysia, and is also the vice president of Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia. Dr. Vijayaratnam is also the chairman of International Affairs & Ethnic Relations Bureau within the party and the chairman of party’s branch in Sungai Ujong.

Mr. Teng Chang Yeow, MP

Mr. Teng is State Executive Councilor (Tourism Development & Environment) of Penang, Malaysia. He was also the National Chairman of the Gerakan Youth.

Pakistan: Liberal Forum Pakistan/ PPP

Mr. Javed Ahmed (Jami Chandio)

Mr. Ahmed sits on the National Board of Liberal Forum Pakistan. He is Columnist of Pakistan’s Daily Kawish and Director for the Center for Peace and Human Development (CPDH-South Asia). He earned his Masters Degree from the University of Sindh in Pakistan.  

Senator Rukhsana Zuberi

Senator Zuberi Joined the Pakistan People’s Party from it’s inception in 1969. She is an Engineer by profession having worked with large Organizations at home and overseas. She was elected as member of provincial Assembly of Sind in 1977 and now in the Senate. She is Member of the Senate Standing Committee on Defense, Defense production and Aviation; also Petroleum & Natural resources. At the Party Organization she is member Federal Council, Foreign Liaison & Economic Coordination. Ms Rukhsana Zuberi headed the parallel vote counting election cell in the 2002 controversial elections. She is a known advocate of women’s economic empowerment through skills oriented training, transparency and electoral reforms.

Philippines: Liberal Party

Senator Rodolfo G. Biazon

Senator Biazon was born on April 14, 1935 in Batac, Ilocos Norte to Rufino Biazon and Juliana G. Biazon.  He finished his elementary level at Pasay City Elementary School and secondary course at Arellano University, Pasay City in 1955.  He obtained Bachelor of Science in Engineering at FEATI University from 1955 to 1956 and Bachelor of Science at Philippine Military Academy in Baguio City on 1961.  As a military officer, from in 1983 to 1986 he was Brigade Commander at 3rd Marine Brigade, Davao City.  From 1986 to 1987, he was Superintendent at Philippine Military Academy.  He was the Commandant at Philippine Marines from 1987 to 1989.  In 1988 to 1990 he was a Commanding General, NCR Defense Command.  He become an AFP Deputy Chief of Staff on 1990 then become AFP Vice Chief of Staff from 1990 to 1991 become Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Secretary Rene C. Villa

Mr. Villa is the Secretary (Minister) of Agrarian Reform and Cabinet Officer for Regional Development for the Western Visayas area in the Philippines. He took his Bachelor of Laws and B.A. in Political Science from the University of the Philippines. He was Regional Development Officer for Western Visayas with the rank of Undersecretary (Deputy Minister). Mr. Villa has served as an associate of major law firms and was a professor of laws and a journalist before entering public service.

Dr. J.R. Nereus Acosta, MP

Dr. Neric Acosta is the Executive Vice President of the Liberal Party. He is a third term representative of Bukidnon province in Northern Mindanao. He is the principal author of the groundbreaking Clean Air Act that has become a model of environmental legislation.  An academic and civil society stalwart, he earned his PhD in Political Science from the University of Hawaii as an East West Center Scholar. He is currently on a 15-week intensive study program at the Yale University as part of the prestigious World Fellow Program.

Mr. Lorenzo R. Tañada III, MP

Mr. Tañada is a lawyer and first term member of the House of Representatives from Quezon Province. He obtained his law degree from Manuel L. Quezon University, and his B.A. degree from Ateneo de Manila University. He is Vice Chairman of Special Committee on Globalization, and is the member of 17 committees (e.g. Higher Education, Constitutional Amendments, Economic Affairs, Government Reorganization, Trade and Industry, Good Government, Energy, Cooperative development, and Agriculture, Food and Fisheries) in the 13th Congress of the Republic of the Philippines.  He was a well known student and youth leader.

Singapore Democratic Party

Dr. Chee Soon Juan

As the Secretary-General of the Singaporean Democratic Party, Dr. Chee is a prominent advocate in Singapore for fair conditions of labour, including adequate wages, severance entitlements and job security. Before beginning his political career, Dr. Chee was teaching in the University of Georgia in the U.S. after completing his Ph.D. in Neurological Psychology. In 1991, Dr. Chee became a lecturer and spent two years teaching in National University of Singapore. As a Neuropsychologist, Dr. Chee has published several academic books in the relevant areas. For his efforts for freedom and democracy, Dr. Chee has received a number of international awards from both academic and political institutes. 

South Korea: Uri Party

Mr. Eui-yong Chung, MP

Mr. Chung was elected to the 17th National Assembly of the Republic of Korea with the ruling Uri Party. He is currently the Senior Commissioner for the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security, and the Chairman of Foreign Relations Committee of the Uri Party. Mr. Chung is an experienced diplomat serving as Ambassador to Thailand, Israel, and the United Nations. He was Chairman of the governing body of the International Labor Organization and the Tariffs and Trade Council of the World Trade Organization. Mr. Chung was awarded his Master Degree from Kennedy School of Government of Harvard University.

Dr. Kim Myung-Ja, MP

Dr. Kim obtained her PhD in Chemistry at the University of Virginia, and has been active in environmental protection and policy making for many years. From 1999 to 2003, she was Korea’s Minister of Environment during the historic Kim Dae Jung administration. Dr. Kim is currently teaching in Myongji University. Dr. Kim is a member of National Assembly (National Defense Committee & Special Committee on Future Strategy); advisor and planning consultant to the ruling Uri Party; and head of the Task Force on Low Birthrate and Aging Population. Dr. Kim has published three books related to science and environment.

Sri Lanka: Liberal Party

Dr. Rajiva Wijesinha

Dr. Wijesinha is the President of the Liberal Party of Sri Lanka and Professor of Languages at the University of Sabaragamuwa. He received his PhD at Oxford University, UK. He has authored several books—both fiction and non-fiction—and his works have been translated into several languages. He is also a consultant of the Ministry of Education.

Taiwan: Democratic Progressive Party

Mr. Antonio Chun-nan CHIANG

Mr. Chiang had long been involved in the opposition movement since the late 1970s in Taiwan, and served as chief editor for many influential journals and newspapers. Mr. Chiang was the Deputy Secretary-General for the National Security Council in 2001. Mr. Chiang was awarded his M.A. in political science from National Cheng-chi University. Additionally, he spent one year at Freedom University in Berlin for his postgraduate studies, and received a fellowship from the East West Center in Hawaii. Mr. Chiang is currently a writer as well as the international relations advisor for the DPP.

Mr. Chi-chang HONG, MP

Mr. Hong graduated from Taipei College of Medicine, and later obtained his M.S. Degree in Medicine from National Taiwan University and the University of Toronto respectively. Specializing in psychiatry, Mr. Hong spent twelve years serving in Mackay Memorial Hospital. He is now the director of Taipei Medical University Hospital and a legislator in Taiwan. Mr. was one of the founding members of the Democratic Progressive Party, and has been elected as a legislator representing different districts for five terms.

Ms. Huai-hui Hsieh

Ms. Hsieh is the Deputy Director and currently Acting Director of the Department of International Relations of the Democratic Progressive Party. Prior to her DPP post, she worked as a Media Analyst at the Singapore Trade Office in Taipei and was engaged in government service as secretary to the Deputy Governor of Taichung and Senior Specialist at the National Security Council of Taiwan. She received her MA degree in Politics from the University of Leeds, UK.

Mr. Vincent Su

Mr. Su is Associate Researcher at the Department of International Relations of the Democratic Progressive Party. Before joining DPP he was Secretary at the French Institute Taipei and the Embassy of Chad in Taipei. He studied at the Graduate Institute of European Studies, Tankang University in Taipei.

Thailand: Democrat Party

Dr. Charoen Kanthawongs, MP

Dr. Kanthawongs is an eight-term member of the House of Representatives representing Bangkok. He is the Vice Chair of the House Committee on Education and Member and Advisor of the House Committee on Political Development. He is President Emeritus and Trustee of Bangkok University and Vice President and Trustee of Webster University, both in Thailand. He earned his PhD in Higher Educational Administration and MA in International Relations both at the Syracuse University in New York and Bachelor of Laws (honors) at the Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. He was the Minister of Agriculture during the tenure of PM Chuan Leekpai.

Ms. Sirinun Senakant

Ms. Senakant is a member of the Democrat Party’s Bangkok Committee. She earned two masters degrees, one from Leeds University in UK and the other from the Asian Institute of Management in Manila.

Mr. Chatchai Bhatiasevi

Mr. Bhatiasevi is the Secretary to H.E. Banyat Bantadtan, MP, Leader of the Democrat Party of Thailand. He received his Bachelor and Master’s degree in the United States.   

Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) Secretariat

Mr. John Joseph S. Coronel

Mr. Coronel is the Executive Director of the Council of Asian Liberals & Democrats. Mr. Coronel served as consultant of Philippine Senator Francis Pangilinan, consultant of Amnesty International Philippines, and Vice President of the liberal think tank, the National Institute for Policy Studies. He studied at the University of the Philippines and University of Hawaii where he was a scholar of the East West Center.    

Mr. Brian V. Gonzales

Before becoming CALD Program Officer, Mr. Gonzales was previously the Southeast Asia Policy Officer of WWF, the World Wide Fund for Nature. His past work engagements include technical assistance project management and human resources at the Asian Development Bank and Ayala Corporation respectively. He studied at DLSU-CSB, DLSU-Manila and the Fribourg Summer School of the University of Fribourg in Switzerland.  

Friedrich Naumann Stiftung-Bangkok and Manila

Mr. Uwe Johannen

Mr. Johannen has been working with FNF since 1971, and he is currently the Regional Director of the FNF East & Southeast Asian Regional Office in Bangkok. From 1997 to 2000, he was the Regional Director of FNF Regional Office, then based in Singapore. He was the former Director of the FNF Institute for Politics and International Cooperation and has held various posts in Germany and abroad for the Foundation. Mr. Johannen is fluent in German, English, French, Spanish and Portuguese, and has traveled to 95 countries in America, Africa, Asia and Europe for various short, medium and long-term missions. Mr. Johannen studied Law Economics and Political Science and graduated with an MA in Economics.

Dr. Ronald Meinardus

Dr. Ronald Meinardus is the Resident Representative of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation in the Philippines. Before moving to Manila in early 2002, he served his organization in South Korea for nearly six years, where he also taught at Hanyang University.  A former journalist, Meinardus writes political commentaries for media in Asia and Europe. He received his journalistic training at Radio Deutsche Welle, where he worked in different departments. He left the German broadcasting corporation in 1992 after he served as head of the Greek language service. Dr. Meinardus received his doctorate in the field of international relations from Hamburg University.