James grew up in the Malaysian province of Sarawak in Northern Borneo. Although James comes from Chinese heritage,  Sarawak's population is culturally diverse and the festivals of each major ethnic group is celebrated by all.  With a strong interest in Malaysian elections, both personally and academically, James was drawn to Tasmania by a work opportunity at a South-East Asian Studies Centre at the University of Tasmania.  

Tasmania and Malaysia have strong connections going back decades, whether it be through the large number of Malaysian students at the University of Tasmania in the 80s and 90s, or through the commercial links around forestry and hydro-electricity,  it's the SE Asian country with which Tasmania has significant ties.