Transitions are moments full of challenge as well as opportunity. For an institution such as the Journal, the transition of leadership provides us with an opportunity for thanks, for reflection on where we are, and for thinking about the future.
It is appropriate to start with thanks. After serving for nearly four years, Dan Puchniak stepped down from the Editor-in-Chief role at the end of 2019. Sincere thanks are owed to Dan and to all who worked with him; in particular Wang Jiangyu, who also stepped down as Executive Editor, and Dian AH Shah, who served as Deputy Editor. We thank Dan, Jiangyu, and Dian not only for their work but also for facilitating a smooth and happy transition of the Journal's leadership, and for their continuing involvement with the Journal as members of the Editorial Board. We are privileged to take up the reins as Editors-in-Chief and to be ably supported by Wilson Tay, who has succeeded Dian as Deputy Editor. We also want to acknowledge the ongoing work of the Journal's Associate Editors and of Mdm Khairiyah Binte Abu, who provides invaluable support to the Journal's operations.
Turning to reflection, we have seen the Journal growing from strength to strength over the past few years. The number and quality of submissions have been increasing annually, and we are receiving more requests for special issues focusing on thematic topics. More scholars from across Asia and other parts of the world are seeking to work with the Journal, and the Journal's readership and impact have also risen steadily. As we reflect on these developments, we feel positive about the overall trajectory of the Journal. At one level, therefore, we feel we should just continue doing more of the same.
However, it is also always important to consider the future. As we do so, issues such as the impact of electronic publication and dissemination of scholarly materials, the prospect of engaging in collaborative and synergistic initiatives with like-minded partners, as well as the possibility of adding other types of content, such as lecture texts, to the Journal's offerings are among the matters that we now think about. We look forward to discussing these issues with the members of our Advisory and Editorial Boards, whose support and dedication to the Journal has always been unfailing and generous.
This issue of the Journal offers articles that canvass a fascinating range of topical issues and discussions across various fields of law. Dema Lham and Stanley Yeo's work presents a rare glimpse into the operation of Bhutan's Penal Code, while Wayne Palmer's article examines the punishment of corporate crime in Indonesia within the context of human trafficking offences. Dinesha Samararatne's contribution provides a critical analysis of the attempt to operationalize the South African model of ‘transformative constitutionalism’ in Sri Lanka, whereas Jaclyn Neo provides a contextual analysis of the famous ‘basic structure doctrine’ set against the backdrop of constitutional developments in Malaysia over recent decades.
Continuing the strong theme of comparative analysis in this issue, Graciela Base's essay contrasts the operation of ‘notice-and-comment’ rulemaking in the Philippines and the United States, with incisive observations on the necessary areas of improvement. Amy Barrow's article traces the struggle for equality in terms of respect for gender identity and sexual orientation in Hong Kong, making pertinent recommendations on how to achieve further impactful reform in the area. Last but certainly not least, Alexander Williams’ contribution opens a window to the world of post-colonial India, examining how the ‘legal elites’ of the bar conceptualized the idea of ‘the Indian advocate’ in the context of the fledgling Indian nation.
This issue also features critical reviews of two important works in comparative law – Helena Alviar Garcia and Günter Frankenberg's Authoritarian Constitutionalism: Comparative Analysis and Critique, and Uwe Kischel's Comparative Law. Through their reviews, Bui Ngoc Son and Aleksander Grebieniow (respectively) bring out the salient and compelling features of these publications, whilst also identifying areas and topics that could benefit from further discussion.
We are grateful to our contributors for their erudite scholarship, and to our team of reviewers who, during the peer review process, robustly challenged each author to develop his or her article to become the best it could be.
We hope that you will enjoy reading the contents of this Issue as much as we have enjoyed the process of putting it together.
