Consider This

The Report by United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights notes that "Overall, Malaysia has made immense progress on poverty alleviation, but the job remains incomplete." Who has been left out of our economic 'miracle'. Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Philip Alston, Former UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights (2014-2020) and currently a profe...

In sharp contrast the government's response to the Al Jazeera documentary is the way Sime Darby is handling its bad press. Liberty Shared, which is a Hong Kong-based anti-trafficking group, has alleged conditions of forced labour and child labour at Sime Darby Plantation. The NGO is petitioning the US to ban imports of palm oil products by Sime Darby Plantation - which is the largest listed palm o...

Over the last five months, Malaysia has seen a dramatic shift in its politics, the unfolding of a public health crisis, and an economic downturn threatening the livelihoods of millions. Has this resulted in a general atmosphere of anxiety that pervades the entire society? And is it driving many of the controversies we have seen in the public realm recently, including the recurring anti-immigrant s...

International NGO, Human Rights Watch, today raised concerns that Malaysian authorities have been increasingly responding to criticism by initiating criminal investigations on journalists, activists, and even ordinary citizens. There seems to be a steadily narrowing of the boundaries of what can be said without the threat of reprisal. Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Gayathry S. Venkiteswa...

The Dewan Negara is expected to play an active part in the legislative process, beyond the sectional interest our guest has come to represent -- that of Persons With Disabilities. Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Ras Adiba Radzi, president of the NGO, OKU Sentral, on issues she would like to champion during her term as Senator.

What has been the impact of COVID-19 and the MCO on persons with disabilities - on their lives, services they need and on their livelihoods. Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Ras Adiba Radzi, president of the NGO, OKU Sentral, if the community was consulted in the framing of the public health response.

United Nations' Convention on the Right of Persons with Disabilities asserts that when speaking about the community we must be mindful of the slogan "Nothing about us, without us". Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Ras Adiba Radzi, president of the NGO, OKU Sentral, on where she would like the national conversation to go.

Today the Federal Court has decided that it will hear the contempt of court proceedings against Malaysiakini, over readers’ comments on its site that prosecutors claim undermined the judiciary. The seven-judge panel ruled that Malaysiakini had facilitated the publication of the comments, and was presumed in law to have published the comments. A contempt hearing will be held on July 13th. Melisa Id...

As government statistics begin to capture the ground realities, we are getting a clearer picture of which groups are suffering the greatest hardship in these uncertain times. While young people are expected to be more resilient and are said to be able to look to the future with optimism, is this in fact how they understand their current situation? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Firdaus H...

Recent research has shown that youth unemployment in Sabah is at a worrying level with some estimates putting it at 100 thousand. What are causes of this level of unemployment and can be done to address it. Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Farid Sainuri, President, Sabah Youth Council.

A Sabah college calling on its employees to take a pay cut or resign has had a lifeline thrown to it by the Chief Minister who declared that there would be no pay cuts and jobs terminations. But with revenues shrinking how long can the government subsidise higher education? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan bring you the most important conversations of the day.

The expression “return the people’s mandate” has been used to define how those who voted for the Pakatan Harapan coalition feel cheated. Many think “party-hopping” and be resolved through an “Anti-Party Hopping” law. But even if such a law could be enacted and not breach the Constitution, would it be desirable? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to political scientist Wong Chin Huat.

If anti-hopping laws are problematic, how then do we address what is clearly a deep dissatisfaction among the public with the practice known as ‘party-hopping’? Will it need a combination of electoral system change, protections for elected representatives and the use of a re-call mechanisms to bring our democratic process in line with the aspirations of the electorate? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kut...

The Home Ministry has ordered the police to probe those linked to a book that it claims to have insulted the "Jata Negara" or the Malaysian coat of arms, on its cover. Titled ‘Rebirth: Reformasi, Resistance, And Hope In New Malaysia’ is a collection of articles and essays about the 14th General Election. Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan bring you the most important conversations of the day.

Over the weekend, there was a mixed response to Dr Mahathir Mohamad's endorsement of Parti Warisan Sabah president Shafie Apdal as the Pakatan Harapan Plus candidate for PM. Some have welcomed the proposal, saying it will focus much-needed attention on East Malaysia. Critics point out that  Warisan commands only 9 seats in Parliament, and the move is simply to thwart Anwar Ibrahim from becoming PM...

Could the nomination of Warisan’s Shafie Apdal as PM-designate shift Sarawak’s GPS position from supporting Muhyiddin Yassin, to supporting Pakatan Harapan Plus, seen as crucial if PH Plus has any chance of forming a stable government? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Hamidin Hamid, a political analyst with Universiti Malaya.

News of a DBKL notice banning refugees from entering the Kuala Lumpur wholesale market stirred debate on social media coming on the heels of World Refugee Day. The move did not come with any stated reasoning but included that foreigners with valid papers must be accompanied by a Malaysian to enter the market. Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan bring you the most important conversations of the day.

Recently the Department of Statistics revealed that Malaysia's unemployment rate for April - at 5% - was the highest it’s been in 30 years. But what of the youth component?  Will young Malaysians disproportionately bear the brunt of the economic fallout from the pandemic? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Lee Hwok Aun, Senior Fellow, ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.

How do policy makers view the structural problems underpinning youth unemployment - itself a multidimensional issue? And does the expected global recession change the way they ought to approach solutions?  Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Dr Juita Mohamad, Fellow, Economics, Trade and Regional Integration Division, Institute Of Strategic & International Studies.

To better understand ‘workforce casualisation’ -- which is the shift from full-time and permanent employment, to casual and contract positions in the labour market – we need to understand it as a strategy both for enterprises and also individuals, but with uneven consequences. Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Niaz Asadullah, Professor of Economics at Universiti Malaya, and the Southeast As...

Talk of snap polls has gained momentum in recent weeks but can safe-distancing measures be implemented at a national scale for a GE? And what international best practices can be adopted.  Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Azmi Sharom, Deputy chairman of the Election Commission.

Ahead of nomination day for the Chini by-election tomorrow Saturday the 20th of June we look at how the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in new norms for the electoral process. To get a better sense of how these new rules affect campaigning, Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Azmi Sharom, Deputy Chairman of the Election Commission.

Against the expectation of a no-contest, the Chini by-election looks set to be competitive and from an expected candidate. With Bersatu’s deputy chief of the Pekan division, Tengku Datuk Zainul Hisham Tengku Hussin throwing his hat in the ring, the incumbent party Barisan Nasional’s candidate Mohd Sharim Zain will now have to win his seat. Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan bring you the most importa...

Some weeks ago a labour dispute made headlines when picketing activists were arrested for violating the MCO rules on public gatherings. Behind this event was a long-standing grouse about work conditions involving workers once in secure government employment, moved into less secure contract work. Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Sarasvathy Muthu, Executive Secretary of the National Union of...

To better understand ‘workforce casualisation’ -- which is the shift from full-time and permanent employment, to casual and contract positions in the labour market – we need to understand it as a strategy both for enterprises and also individuals, but with uneven consequences. Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Niaz Asadullah, Professor of Economics at Universiti Malaya, and the Southeast As...