Consider This: Myanmar Crisis (Part 3) - ASEAN’s Playbook Outdated?
With the coup, have we returned to a time before the democratic opening of Myanmar -- and can the role that ASEAN played then be reprised now? Or have conditions changed so fundamentally that ASEAN needs a new playbook? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Michael Vatikiotis, Asia Director, Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, which is a private diplomacy organisation. He is the author of ‘Blo...
9m Apr 23, 2021
9m
Consider This: Myanmar Crisis (Part 1) - ASEAN Weighs Its Options
Tomorrow ASEAN leaders will hold a special summit to try to persuade Myanmar's junta to end the violence in the country and let in aid. The meeting is the first concerted regional effort to ease the political crisis.Will ASEAN be able to successfully navigate the Myanmar crisis? And if it fails, will it be able to maintain its centrality in issues of regional security? Melisa Idris and Sharaad ...
9m Apr 23, 2021
9m
Consider This: Myanmar Crisis (Part 2) - Who Should ASEAN Have Invited?
Should the National Unity Government have been invited to the Asean Leaders Meeting? What do you think democratic forces and the Myanmar public -- most of whom voted for the ousted NLD government -- would want from ASEAN, and more specially tomorrow’s summit? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Debbie Stotdard, Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma.
9m Apr 23, 2021
9m
Consider This: Earth Day (Part 2) - Urgent Tasks For Malaysia
The Global Environment Centre’s Earth Day statement notes that Malaysia has to give up “the conventional development trajectory of "grow first, clean up later" and instead embrace sustainability as a core principle in development. But who is listening to this message? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Faizal Parish, Director, Global Environment Centre.
12m Apr 22, 2021
12m
Consider This: Earth Day (Part 1) - All About Emissions Pledges?
Today we celebrate Earth Day on a sombre note after a devastating year with the global Covid-19 pandemic.The theme this year is "Restore Our Earth" and focuses on, among others, emerging green technologies and innovative thinking.But will we get the game-changing commitments and technological breakthroughs that will put us on route to restoring the planet's ecosystem? Melisa Idris and Sharaad K...
15m Apr 22, 2021
15m
Consider This: Convent Bukit Nanas (Part 3) - KL's Built Heritage Threatened?
8m Apr 21, 2021
8m
Consider This: Convent Bukit Nanas (Part 2) - Future Policies To Secure The Past
How do we untangle questions of land ownership, building ownership and management and land use issues that underscore the Convent Bukit Nanas story? And should we be reassured that the precinct in which the schools sit remains zoned for education under the KL City Plan for the next 20 years? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Cultural Heritage Consultant, Elizabeth Cardosa. 
11m Apr 21, 2021
11m
Consider This: Convent Bukit Nanas (Part 1) - Preserved For Posterity?
News that Convent Bukit Nanas has not been granted its land lease extension by the Federal Territories’ Land Office, was met with public backlash these past few days. Despite assurances by the government that the 120-year-old girls' school will not be demolished once its lease expires, will Convent Bukit Nanas be preserved for posterity? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Tengku Nurul Azi...
9m Apr 21, 2021
9m
Consider This: Vaccine (Part 2) - Demand, Supply And The Greater Good
It was reported today that Day Two of the second phase of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme in Sibu had to be postponed due to a lack of vaccines. While Day One reportedly went according to plan, with over 1,000 people receiving vaccines. So what went wrong? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Dr Mohammad Farhan Rusli, Assistant Professor of Health Policy, Economics & Finance, I...
14m Apr 20, 2021
14m
Consider This: Vaccine (Part 1) - Playing Catch Up With SAR-CoV2?
Public health policymakers are not only dealing with the daily rising Covid-19 cases but also an evolving SARS-Cov2 pathogen & supply bottlenecks from vaccine nationalism. How do we negotiate the challenges coming on multiple fronts? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Professor Sibrandes Poppema, President of Sunway University & Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah Distinguished Professor.
15m Apr 20, 2021
15m
Consider This: Old-Age Poverty (Part 2) - Slipping Through The Net?
There was a study done by Khazanah Research that estimated that more than 60% of senior citizens are in the B40 group, and that this increases with age? While there are many government schemes to support older citizens many remain vulnerable. What can be done? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Professor Emeritus Datuk Norma Mansor is Director of Universiti Malaya’s Wellbeing Research Cen...
13m Apr 19, 2021
13m
Consider This: Old-Age Poverty (Part 1) - Understanding Vulnerabilities
Since Malaysians were granted early access to their retirement savings to get through the Covid-19 pandemic, close to 6 million people have made a withdrawal from their EPF accounts. This has brought to the fore the long-standing concern that many will have too little to survive on in old age. But how serious is the situation and can policy mitigate the consequences of this financial vulnerabil...
13m Apr 19, 2021
13m
Consider This: Vaccines (Part 2) - Dealing With Virus Variants
Apart from issues of vaccine efficacy and adverse reactions, how will the emergence of variants of the virus affect the vaccine strategy and was it designed into our immunization strategy? What should the public keep in mind in what is a rapidly evolving public health crisis. Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Dr Ghows Azzam, Associate Professor, School of Biological Sciences, Universiti ...
15m Apr 16, 2021
15m
Consider This: Vaccines (Part 1) - China's Vaccine Efficacy
Several days ago, the Director China’s Centre for Disease Control and Prevention was quoted as saying that the efficacy of Chinese Covid vaccines is low. These raised alarm bells because China has supplied more than 40 million doses to over 30 countries across the globe -- including the 200,000 doses it sent to Malaysia. But has there been a fundamental misunderstanding of the original statemen...
13m Apr 16, 2021
13m
Consider This: Climate Change (Part 2) -- Environment Allocation Less Than 1%
Our guest has noted that while Budget 2021 has an explicit focus on environmental sustainability the overall environmental allocation as a proportion of the total budget remains largely unchanged from previous years – and it remains low at less than 1%. How do we assess the current government’s commitment to addressing climate change issues? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Alizan Mahad...
14m Apr 15, 2021
14m
Consider This: Climate Change (Part 1) -- US Leaders Summit Exclusion A Snub?
Next week, the US will host a virtual summit on the climate crisis , but Malaysia did not make the list. According to the Environment & Water Minister Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, Malaysia was not invited as we are not categorised as a country vulnerable to climate change.Was our exclusion from the US Leaders Summit on Climate as significant as critics claim? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to ...
15m Apr 15, 2021
15m
Conside This: TVET (Part 2) - Anticipating Future Skills Needs
The Government has touted vocational education as a ‘game changer’ for achieving inclusive economic growth but has this been backed by policy and  programmes? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan ask Dr Norlidah Alias, Associate Professor, Department of Curriculum and Instructional Technology, Faculty of Education, Universiti Malaya if the TVET component of our education system has been neglected?
14m Apr 14, 2021
14m
Conside This: TVET (Part 1) - Game Changer For Employment Woes?
While the Malaysian government has touted technical and vocational education as a game hanger to address labour market problems, many challenges remain. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has identified these challenges as: foreseeing future skills demand; harmonising TVET governance systems; promoting equity and inclusion, and enhancing industry engagement. Is it time we rethink our e...
13m Apr 14, 2021
13m
Consider This: Diplomacy (Part 2) - Playing By China’s Rules?
What do escalating tensions over Xinjiang cotton tell us about China’s relationship with international companies that want access to their markets? Chinese officials have warned that the “era of bullying” by foreign powers was over but what does the reality of interdependence mean for all sides in the dispute? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Oh Ei Sun, Senior Fellow,  Singapore Institu...
13m Apr 13, 2021
13m
Consider This: China-Malaysia (Part 1) - Recalibrating Fraternal Relations?
The Foreign Minister was recently criticised over his “big brother” remark during a press conference in Beijing with his China counterpart, Wang Yi. Following the blowback, the Minister released a statement that he was merely practicing ‘Asian values’, and showing respect for “a more senior Foreign Minister”. Was this a major diplomatic faux pas, or were his critics overreacting and what does s...
12m Apr 13, 2021
12m
Consider This: Water Management (Part 3) - State or Federal Responsibility?
Most headlines have cast the Kedah position in a negative light. But is the argument made by the Kedah MB unreasonable? And who could we look at the relationship between Johor and Singapore in managing water resources? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Professor Dr Maketab Mohamed, Water Quality & Water Quality Modelling Expert.
8m Apr 12, 2021
8m
Consider This: Water Management (Part 2) - Who Pays For Sungai Muda?
Should states think about going it alone when developing its own water resources or should it reach for a solution that embraces the idea of shared responsibility? Perhaps in the Kedah-Penang water dispute is there a solution that reframes how we look at environmental issues.Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to S. Piarapakaran, President of the Association of Water and Energy Research Malay...
9m Apr 12, 2021
9m
Consider This: Water Management (Part 1) - Crux of Kedah-Penang Dispute
The dispute over water resources between Kedah and Penang took a curious turn when in December last year, the K.edah Menteri Besar said he would get villagers to put sandbags to dam Sungai Muda and divert the river so that it no longer flowed into Penang.Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor's has since also threatened to send muddy water to Penang.What is the heart of the dispute? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Ku...
10m Apr 12, 2021
10m
Consider This: Politics (Part 3) - Audio Clip Threatens UMNO President?
In grand Malaysian tradition, an audio clip purportedly between Umno president Zahid Hamidi and PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, set tongues wagging. Zahid’s political foes within his party have seized upon the recording in a bid to oust him. What lies ahead for UMNO leadership? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to political analyst, Associate Professor Hamidin Hamid, Universiti Malaya.
8m Apr 09, 2021
8m
Consider This: Politics (Part 2) - Name Change Mere Tokenism?
Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin visited Sarawak last week -- his first since being appointed as prime minister early last year. During which he announced that the Special Council on Malaysia Agreement 1963 would soon be making public its decision on the Federal Constitution amendment & other matters related to Sarawak and Sabah. Just yesterday, it was announced that the Territories of Sabah & S...
8m Apr 09, 2021
8m
Consider This: Politics (Part 1) - Where PH’s Next Generation?
Today the three parties that make up the Pakatan Harapan coalition agreed to name Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as their pick for Prime Minister if the coalition wins the next General Election. This marks an official shift in focus for the grouping after several failed attempts by Anwar to realise his claims of a parliamentary majority. However, expectations of some quarters that there would be a di...
9m Apr 09, 2021
9m
Consider This: Cabotage Exemption (Part 2) - Digital Dreams Turn To Froth?
On the 13th of November last year, the Transport Minister signed a federal gazette revoking the cabotage exemption policy of the Pakatan Harapan government. The reason given is that cabotage policies protect the interests of Malaysian shipowners, though when it comes to the repair of undersea cables, only 1 Malaysian company is involved. Was this reversal justified when the consequent delays an...
9m Apr 08, 2021
9m
Consider This: Cabotage Exemption (Part 1) - Counting Cost Of Policy Reversal
Late last month Facebook, with Alphabet’s Google and regional telecos, announced plans for two new cables in the Java Sea to boost internet connection capacity in Indonesia and Singapore. It sparked a debate about the Perikatan Nasional government’s decision to reverse a PH-era cabotage exemption policy? Was it fair for critics to charge that this return to the BN-era position on who has rights...
18m Apr 08, 2021
18m
Consider This: Pandemic Journalism (Part 2) - Perils Of 24 Hour Newscycle
More than a year has passed since the world began its battle against Covid-19, raising the profile of journalists covering the pandemic such as Malaysian-born Ed Yong, who writes for The Atlantic. Conspiracy theories aside, competing frameworks of understanding as well as political and social values, have put pressure on editorial policies and advocacy campaigns as well. Melisa Idris and Sharaa...
14m Apr 07, 2021
14m
Consider This: Health Journalism (Part 1) - CodeBlue Raises The Bar?
World Health Day is celebrated every year on April 7th -- a day of global awareness in building a fairer, healthier world. More than a year has passed since the world began its battle against Covid-19, and throughout this year, we’ve relied a lot on journalism to make sense of it all — especially as the virus’s spread frequently outpaced our abilities to comprehend and respond to it. Melisa Idr...
14m Apr 07, 2021
14m
UMNO GA (Part 1) - Tough Rhetoric, Inconclusive Action?
UMNO held its General Assembly on the weekend, where political watchers were looking out for indications of the dynamics within the party, and how it would position itself ahead of the next General Election and more importantly, in relation to Bersatu which leads the Perikatan Nasional government. Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Bridget Welsh, Asia Research Institute, Nottingham Univer...
13m Mar 30, 2021
13m
UMNO GA (Part 2) - Talk Of Malay Unity Hollow?
What does the recently concluded UMNO General Assembly suggest about the relationship between UMNO, Bersatu and PAS in their battle for the hearts and minds of Malay political society? How has the experience of the last year under Perikatan Nasional reshaped expectations and demands of the Malay ground. Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Ibrahim Suffian, Executive Director, Merdeka Center.
13m Mar 30, 2021
13m
Vaccine Rollout - Challenges To 70% COVID-19 Immunization
How do we best understand the number report on the covid-19 vaccine rollout and how is it related to vaccine supply and to the timelines on achieving herd immunity? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Tan Sri Dr Jemilah binti Mahmood, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister of Malaysia Muhyiddin Yassin on Public Health since March 2020 and Under Secretary General for Partnerships in the Inte...
22m Mar 09, 2021
22m
Vaccination (Part 1) - Will Anyone Be Left Behind?
The Ministry of Health’s official guidance on its Covid-19 website has listed a few groups it deemed are not suitable to receive Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine. This includes: women who are pregnant or planning to get pregnant; cancer patients who are undergoing treatment like chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy, Persons Living with HIV with CD4 counts of less than 200. Melisa Idris and Sh...
15m Feb 25, 2021
15m
Vaccination (Part 2) - Exclusion and Stigmatization
The Ministry of Health’s official guidance on its Covid-19 website has listed Persons Living with HIV, with CD4 counts below 200 (protein found on immune cells) as among the groups that are not suitable to receive Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine. This however seems to contradict international advice. Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Dr Khairil Erwan Khalid, Secretary, Malaysian Society of ...
10m Feb 25, 2021
10m
Media (Part 1) - Court Of Public Opinion Rules?
Malaysiakini today paid the half a million ringgit fine for contempt of court, that was imposed by the Federal Court last Friday over five readers' comments on its website.n The news portal launched its fundraiser immediately after the sentence was handed down, and raised the 500,000 in less than 5 hours. Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to MalaysiaKini CEO Premesh Chandran.
9m Feb 24, 2021
9m
Media (Part 2) - Judiciary Beyond Criticism In A Democracy?
Immediately after the Court’s verdict, lead counsel for MalaysiaKini was quoted in the press, warning against knee-jerk reactions to the summaries of the judgments. He said that the full grounds of the Federal Court rulings would have to be studied. Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan ask Datuk Malik Imtiaz Sarwar what his understanding is of the judgment.
10m Feb 24, 2021
10m
Media (Part 3) - Turning Point For Free Speech?
How has Malaysian media evolved to keep up with new technologies and platforms, but also the growing demand of the public to speak and to be heard? Will the verdict trul spell the end of free speech in Malaysia? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Gayathry Venkiteswaran is Assistant Professor at the School of Media, Languages & Cultures at the University of Nottingham Malaysia.
7m Feb 24, 2021
7m
Vaccination (Part 1) - Clarifying Government Priorities
The National Covid-19 Immunisation Plan will begin on Wednesday -- earlier than was initially scheduled -- with Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and Health Director-General Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah to receive their first jabs in two days. Will it go according to plan? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, Former Health Minister & Head of the Selangor Task Force f...
14m Feb 23, 2021
14m
Vaccination (Part 2) - Federal-State Plans Coordinated?
We turn to the state of Selangor and its policies in managing the localised needs of pandemic management. We look at Selangor’s 'Targeted Community Screening' based on Artificial Intelligence to detect hotspots and to bust the cluster. How are these plans coordinated with those of the Federal government? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, Former Health Minis...
12m Feb 23, 2021
12m
DidikTV (Part 1) - Promised Quality Delivered?
Almost a year after schools were shuttered nationwide, yesterday a dedicated TV channel for education was finally launched to much fanfare. DidikTV collaboration between the Ministry of Education and Media Prima, and complements RTM’s TV Okey & Astro’s Tutor TV. The educational programmes air for 17 hours a day, but will it be enough to address the gaps exacerbated by the pandemic and the digit...
15m Feb 19, 2021
15m
DidikTV (Part 2) - Build Back Better Education
Astro Tutor TV’s ‘SMK: Study Squad’ is currently the most watched academic show in the country. Arus Academy, which is an education-focused social enterprise, helped write the themes and lesson objectives for the episodes. Are there lessons to be learnt from this effort? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Alina Amir, co-Founder & director of Arus Academy.
12m Feb 19, 2021
12m
Universities (Part 1) - Predatory Journal Publication Scandal
Malaysia was recently found to have among the highest number of research publications in ‘predatory’  journals’ defined those that tend to publish low-quality science and deviate from best practices in academic research. They might even collect fees for publishing work that undergoes little editorial scrutiny. The revelation called into question the quality of research work by Malaysian univers...
14m Feb 18, 2021
14m
Universities (Part 2) - Fair Assessment For Academics
A study by two Czech economists who mapped the infiltration of ‘predatory journals' into the Scopus database, reported that ‘in these countries, predatory publication practices have apparently become a systemic problem at the national level, not limited to particular clusters.” How do we fairly assess our universities in the global higher education economy? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak...
13m Feb 18, 2021
13m
Sexual Harassment (Part 1) - Police, Conduct Unbecoming
Over the weekend, two women had separately alleged that police officers had sexually harassed them when stopped at roadblocks. In recounting their experiences, the women said a police officer had recorded their personal details, including phone numbers. One of the women said she received an unsolicited text message after the encounter, while the other said she was asked to expose herself in ord...
9m Feb 16, 2021
9m
Sexual Harassment (Part 2) - Why Victims Fear Speaking Out?
It's estimated that for every reported case of sexual harassment, some eight to nine cases go unreported. Sexual harassment is already underreported for a range of reasons - but is this even more the case, when perpetrator is in uniform, law enforcement? Who can the victim turn to? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Nisha Sabanayagam, Programme & Operations Manager, All Women’s Action Soc...
8m Feb 16, 2021
8m
Sexual Harassment (Part 3) - Police Force Receptive To Change?
How do we begin to imagine changing policing practices that are more gender sensitive? And are institutions like the police open to change or do they try to insulate themselves behind what is often called the "blue wall" a culture of camaraderie that seeks to protect officers from the consequences of their illegal or unethical action? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Yu Ren Chung, Deput...
8m Feb 16, 2021
8m
Penang (Part 1) - Managing State-Level Public Health
As with much of the country, the state of Penang’s Covid-19 cases have risen and fallen, while its strategy is firmly tethered to the Federal government’s national plan. So how is it coping with the pandemic one year on and are state-federal relations proving to be challneging? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Chief Minister of Penang, Chow Kon Yeow.
17m Feb 12, 2021
17m
Penang (Party 2) - Prepared For The Vaccine Rollout?
The success of any vaccine rollout plan is dependent in large part on local factors and resources. How prepared is the state of Penang for identification of priority groups, delivery of vaccines and monitoring of the vaccination programme? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Chief Minister of Penang, Chow Kon Yeow.
11m Feb 12, 2021
11m
Covid-19 (Part 1) - Vaccine Origins, Trust, Hesitancy
The Covid-19 vaccine national rollout, which will begin at the end of the month, aims to immunise 80% of the Malaysian population within a year. But despite repeated assurances from medical experts, many Malaysians remain hesitant about the vaccines -- citing concerns over the types & science behind it, where it’s being developed, efficacy rates, & potential short-term and long-term side effect...
15m Feb 05, 2021
15m