Good Things

Here’s a good thing you need to know: Malaysia just made it into the Royal Society’s history books! Dr Ravigadevi Sambanthamurthi has become the first Malaysian scientist to be elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society - a 364-year-old institution that’s honoured some of the greatest minds in science, including Darwin, Newton and Einstein, just to name a few. Her groundbreaking work in oil palm bio...

Here's a good thing you need to know: We're getting better at understanding how the brain works and how disorders in the brain lead to changes in moods, emotions and behaviours. This World Brain Day, which was observed on 22 July, we speak to a neuroscientist to explore the mysteries of the brain, and to celebrate what makes every person’s brain unique. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.co...

Is there still hope to course-correct for Earth, when everything seems to be heading the wrong way? This generation of youths definitely think so, especially when they come together to fight for a better future for us all. That’s what Youths United for Earth is doing, as they rally youths - and everyone else - to do their part in environmental advocacy. So in conjunction with World Youth Skills Da...

What does it mean to grow up without a birth certificate, access to school, or even a sense of belonging? At Yayasan Chow Kit, Cikgu Rahayu works with children who are stateless—born and raised in Malaysia, but denied the right to call it home. She joins us to talk about what it means to grow up without papers, how the law is changing (and not changing), and why we all have a stake in this fight....

Malaysian artist Khabir Roslan’s art, made out of household and kitchen waste transformed into compost, embodies both his identity as an artist, and his interest in the boundaries between body, soil and soul. We explore this with Khabir himself. Image Credit: Khabir Roslan See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here’s a good thing you need to know: In conjunction with World Refugee Day, NGOs Project Stand Up and Akar Umbi Society have come together to launch Xchange Xperiences. It’s an initiative focused on creating the space and opportunity for locals and refugees to meet, with the hopes of breaking barriers and fostering social cohesion. In this episode, we speak to some of the brains behind this initi...

Here’s a good thing you need to know: Tara Foundation has been transforming the lives of underprivileged children, particularly in education. But it’s not just about teaching kids how to read and write - it’s about ensuring that children also have a safe space to learn and, ultimately, be kids. So on this episode of Good Things, we’re joined by Venothan Vimalanathan, Director of Academics & Op...

Here’s a good thing you need to know: Anson Thomas has rescued over 800 women and children from human trafficking, and he’s not done yet. Once a national-level hockey goalkeeper and a customs officer in India, Anson has spent the last 30 years rescuing women and children from brothels, often putting his own safety at risk. Today, we hear his story - what drove him to take on this mission, what tho...

Here’s a good thing you need to know: 40 years ago, a number of activists and champions for women’s rights decided that serious social problems faced by women, such as rape, domestic violence, sexual harassment, and the negative portrayal of women in the media, could no longer be hidden in the shadows. With this historic step, the All Women’s Action Society (AWAM) was formed, along with other wome...

The Dignity for Children Foundation has been providing education to children from low-income households as well as from refugee families. After 16 years, they have rebranded the event calling it The Dignity Cup. It continues the legacy of the Faisal Cup while increasing inclusivity and ensuring no child misses the joy of football. Image Credit: Dignity for Children Foundation Official Facebook See...

Toastmasters International is a global nonprofit dedicated to improving public speaking and leadership skills. The organization has spent years helping people from all walks of life — from nervous first-time speakers to seasoned professionals — find their voice and become better leaders. In this episode, we speak to Radhi Spear, International President of Toastmasters International about her journ...

Here’s a good thing you need to know: The Malaysia Teacher Prize is a prestigious national award established to recognize and celebrate outstanding educators across Malaysia. It was launched in 2022 and apart from recognising teachers on a national level, the Malaysia Teacher Prize also provides a platform to scale up their best practices. In light of teacher’s day happening on the 16th of May, we...

Here’s a good thing you need to know: For more than 75 years, the Malaysian Red Crescent Society has been serving the community in Malaysia as a voluntary humanitarian organization providing service and public education in disaster management, as well as healthcare in the community. In conjunction with the World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day on 8 May, we’re looking back on the years of MRCS’ acti...

The Buku Beyond Bars campaign is an initiative by the Malaysian Centre for Constitutionalism and Human Rights (MCCHR) and the Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network, aimed at supporting incarcerated individuals in Malaysian prisons by providing them with books and reading materials. In this episode, we speak to Mazni Ibrahim who’s the CEO of MCCHR and Effa Qamariani, who’s the Communications & Outrea...

In the heart of Subang Jaya, a patch of land is quietly transforming lives. Grow Subang is more than a community garden—it’s a space where people come to heal, learn, and reconnect with the earth and each other. From composting café scraps to teaching condo dwellers how to grow herbs in tight spaces, this grassroots initiative is proving that cultivating food can also cultivate belonging. We speak...

Here’s a good thing you need to know: Honorary Professor Dr Tan Sooi Beng is being honoured with the 20th BOH Cameronian Lifetime Achievement Award — and it’s easy to see why. She's not only an internationally recognised scholar of music, but also an activist, educator, and community collaborator who’s spent decades making the arts more inclusive, more Malaysian, and more meaningful. In conjunctio...

Here’s a good thing you need to know: In the face of medical emergencies and trauma in the great outdoors, knowledge can be the difference between life and loss. The Wilderness and Austere Medicine Society Malaysia is on a mission to bridge the gap, offering critical training to both healthcare providers and everyday individuals, preparing them to navigate the unique challenges of wilderness medic...

Here’s a good thing you need to know: For almost 40 years, long before the awareness of neurodivergence became mainstream, the National Autism Society of Malaysia has been providing lifespan services to people with autism, including their families and caregivers. We speak to the chairman Julian Wong about NASOM’s work over the years, the people who breathe life into their services, and what keeps...

What started off as a young woman’s desire to read in a public park soon blossomed into Kuala Lumpur Reads, a movement that brings hundreds of people together every weekend through the simple act of reading. Participants gather every Saturday from 8.30am to 10.30am at the Perdana Botanical Garden to read together, in silence, before having a quick chat and taking some photographs at the end. The m...

Here’s a good thing you need to know: how to be happy. It’s one of those things - along with parenting and life - that you wish you had an instruction manual for. Why is the pursuit of happiness so important to us? Is happiness just about fleeting experiences of pleasure, or can we strive to achieve a more constant state of it? We find out what a clinical psychologist Dr Alvin Ng has to say about...

Here’s a good thing you need to know: Sehri Tales is a Ramadan-wide writing and creativity challenge, where the goal is to compose a fresh piece of prose, poetry or nonfiction upon waking up for Sahur, the pre-dawn meal during Ramadan, and complete it before the break of dawn. It started in Bangladesh, and has since seen global participation from people all over the world. We speak to Sabrina and...

Here’s a good thing you need to know: a world where women are safe, heard, and empowered is possible, and the Women’s Aid Organisation is making that a reality. From advocating for stronger laws to ensuring survivors of domestic violence get the protection and support they need, WAO has been a powerful force in shaping policies and attitudes towards gender-based violence in Malaysia, for over 40 y...

Here’s a good thing you need to know: Komuniti Tukang Jahit is changing lives, through sewing. In homes across Malaysia, women who once struggled to find financial independence are now stitching their way to empowerment, thanks to this social enterprise founded by Yap Sue Yii. It provides a lifeline to homemakers, single mothers and other underserved communities by offering them sewing opportuniti...

Here’s a good thing you need to know: there’s magic in the everyday, if only we stop to notice it. Jamie Solomon ’s book, When Our Lives Intersect - Celebrating Ten Years in Fraser’s Hill is a gentle reminder of that—a little nudge to slow down, breathe, and let nature show us what really matters. Inspired by her 30 visits over 10 years to Fraser’s Hill, Jamie weaves together personal stories, qui...

Here’s a good thing you need to know: in 2012, a group of audiologists and speech-language pathologists from Malaysia set up a non-profit resource centre to provide community support to families with speech-language/hearing disabilities. MARCHES raises funds to help these families receive financial assistance for the purchase of hearing aids or speech-language therapy, and also raises public aware...