Government and Political Regimes in Southeast Asia: An Introduction -- Brunei Darussalam: Malay Islamic Monarchy and Rentier State -- Cambodia: From UN-Led Peace-Building to Post-genocidal Authoritarianism -- Indonesia: Challenges of Conflict and Consensus in the Era of Reformasi -- Laos: The Transformation of Periphery Socialism -- Malaysia: Competitive Authoritarianism in a Plural Society -- Myanmar: The Challenging Transition from Military to Democratic Government -- Philippines: People's Power and Defective Elite Democracy -- Singapore: Contradicting Conventional Wisdom About Authoritarianism, State and Development -- Timor-Leste: Challenges of Creating a Democratic and Effective State -- Vietnam: The Socialist Party State -- Conclusions: Comparing Governments and Political Institutions in Southeast Asia