Ben Bernanke

The Zen-like chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve might not have topped the list solely for turning his superb academic career into a blueprint for action, for single-handedly reinventing the role of a central bank, or for preventing the collapse of the U.S. economy.

But to have done all of these within the span of a few months is certainly one of the greatest intellectual feats of recent years. Not long ago a Princeton University professor writing paper after paper on the Great Depression, "Helicopter Ben" spent 2009 dropping hundreds of billions in bailouts seemingly from the skies, vigilantly tracking interest rates, and coordinating with counterparts across the globe.

His key insight? The need for massive, damn-the-torpedoes intervention in financial markets. Winning over critics who have since praised his "radical" moves (including Nouriel Roubini, No. 4 on this list), he now faces an uphill battle in his bid for permanently expanded Fed powers. The radicalism is far from over.

"Those who doubt that there is much connection between the economy of the 1930s and the supercharged, information-age economy of the twenty-first century are invited to look at the current economic headlines -- about high unemployment, failing banks, volatile financial markets, currency crises, and even deflation. The issues raised by the Depression, and its lessons, are still relevant today." --Bernanke,

Ramli Ibrahim

MALAYSIAN dancer and choreographer Ramli Ibrahim defies categorisation. A Muslim who is an ardent practitioner of both Bharatanatyam and Odissi, Ramli's creativity is an integrated experience transcending national, religious and racial boundaries.

He is as passionate about Indian classical dance being a part of the total Malaysian experience, as he is about championing Malaysian traditional forms like Makyong, Menora and Main Petri. He is as full of passion dancing Odissi against a backdrop of a carved surasundari in a Khajuraho temple as he is performing a contemporary work "Scintillations" inspired by underwater flora and fauna.

Recipient of the Fulbright Distinguished Artist Award, 1999, and Lifetime Achievement Award in the Boh Cameronian Arts Awards 2003, Ramli Ibrahim remains an enigma, a man totally uninterested in the business angle or money, his integrity and idealism untouched by the performance rat race.

Ramli Ibrahim's life epitomises the truth that, when politics, religion and nation divides people, art is the only glue to bind the human race.

Ahmad Yasmin 1958-2009

It is rare for films from the small Malaysian cinema industry to make an impact internationally, mainly because the majority of them are rather clumsy melodramas, broad comedies and formulaic musicals made for local consumption.

Therefore, it is a double tragedy that Yasmin Ahmad, one of the few Malaysian directors to make a name on the world stage, has died aged 51 after suffering a stroke and undergoing surgery for a cerebral haemorrhage.

Ahmad was part of a new generation of film-makers who reflected the wide ethnic and cultural diversity of her country and the lives and dreams of its young people. Stylistically, her principal influences were Yasujiro Ozu and Douglas Sirk, although she created her own western and oriental mixture.

Her films challenged ethnic stereotypes, and she was openly against any type of fundamentalism and racism, making it her life's work to support minority rights. Unsurprisingly, her feature films were disliked by the regime in Malaysia, a conservative, mostly Muslim country, for tackling taboo subjects such as inter-racial relations and teenage angst. In fact, the second, and perhaps most renowned of her six features, Sepet (2004), was banned in Malaysia, until Ahmad agreed to make eight cuts.

Sepet (which could be translated as "slit eyes"), about a relationship between a Chinese boy and a Malay girl, touched the sensitive nerve of race in Malaysia, where the memory of the terrible 1969 riots between Chinese and Malays is still strong. Ahmad, who was married to a Chinese man, made the film for $400,000 and shot it in Ipoh, where Chinese and Malay communities live in close proximity.

Ahmad was born in Kampung Bukit Treh in Muar, Johor, the oldest of three children of a musician father and theatre director mother. She was educated in England and gained a degree in arts and psychology at Newcastle University. Film was far from her mind when she got a job at IBM as a marketing representative, before moving into advertising as a copywriter at Ogilvy & Mather.

In 1993, she joined the advertising agency Leo Burnett in Kuala Lumpur, where she became an influential executive creative director and for whom she made ads for Petronas, the national oil and gas company.

Ahmad is survived by her husband, Abdullah Tan Yew Leong, a Chinese ad agency creative director.

Yasmin Ahmad, film director and screenwriter, born 1 July 1958; died 25 July 2009

Abraham Lincoln

You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift

You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong

You cannot help the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer

You cannot further the brotherhood of man by encouraging class hatred

You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich

You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than you earn

You cannot build character and courage by taking man's initiative and independence

You cannot help man permanently by doing them what they could and should do for themselves

Martin Niemoller

First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a communist;

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist;

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew;

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak out for me.

Martin Niemöller was a German pastor and theologian born in Lippstadt, Germany, in 1892. Niemöller was an anti-Communist and supported Hitler's rise to power at first.

But when Hitler insisted on the supremacy of the state over religion, Niemöller became disillusioned. He became the leader of a group of German clergymen opposed to Hitler. Unlike Niemöller, they gave in to the Nazis' threats.

Hitler personally detested Niemöller and in 1937 had him arrested and eventually confined in the Sachsenhausen and Dachau concentration camps. Niemöller was released in 1945 by the Allies.

He continued his career in Germany as a clergyman and as a leading voice of penance and reconciliation for the German people after World War II. His poem is well-known, frequently quoted, and is a popular model for describing the dangers of political apathy, as it often begins with specific and targeted fear and hatred which soon escalates out of control.

Chong Phit Lian

Ms Chong Phit Lian, Chief Executive Officer of Jetstar Asia/Valuair, has over 28 years of management experience in the lifestyle, leisure, tourism, manufacturing and engineering industries.

Chong holds Engineering and Business Administration qualifications and also attended post experience management courses sponsored by her employer.

Chong started her career in the 1970’s as Engineering Assistant. She later rose through the ranks to Engineering Workshop Management, taking charge of a local Multi National Corporation’s independent business.

Chong joined Singapore Technologies Corp (later restructured to be part of SembCorp Industries) in 1986 as Business Development manager and subsequently became Director of Business Development. She was then promoted to lead Singapore Precision Industries and Singapore Mint as President and Chief Executive Officer. During her 16 years as President and CEO of Singapore Precision Industries and The Singapore Mint, Chong was also Chief Executive (Group General Manager) of Safe Enterprises Group till she completed the restructuring and divestment of companies under the Group.

Chong was on the Board of several companies during her time with Singapore Technologies and the SembCorp Group. Some of her Board memberships included : • Chairman of Tianjin Everbest Gear Manufacturing Company (China). • Director of Singapore Precision Industries • Chairman of Singapore Mint Pte. Ltd • Director of ST Anda Logistic (China) • Executive Director of SemHotel Group (Hotels in China, Bintan, Vietnam) • Director of Safe Enterprises Group (Consumer retail, Travel, Entertainment, Restaurants, Avis Car Rental , Resorts in Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia)

In March 2006, Chong joined Jetstar Asia Airways and is currently serving as Chief Executive Officer of OrangeStar Pte Ltd, Jetstar Asia Airways and Valuair.