Good Things

Baha Hilo was born and raised in Palestine. He has worked with human rights, and advocacy groups including the United Nations, the Badil Centre for Residency and Refugee Rights, and more. He is co-founder of The Citadel – 1865, a cultural space in Beit Sahour. As an educator, Baha runs “To Be There,” an initiative that offers educational programs about the history and culture of Palestine. In this...

You might have heard of Wong Yan Ke, the former University Malaya student who protested at his own graduation ceremony, calling for the resignation of the vice-chancellor. Yan Ke is a rabble-rouser and one of the most prominent young voices in the activism scene. He’s a human rights defender at SUARAM and was recently also elected as the Deputy Chair of Bersih. Yan Ke joins us on the show today to...

FriendenArts was founded in 2016 by Edmund Lim and Sook Yee to help disadvantaged young people discover and develop their creative potential through visual art. But what exactly does that mean? We speak to Edmund Lim, Co-Founder of FriendenArts. Image Credit: Everyday is a New Day - Jaden The Colours of Malaysia - Jaden and Branden See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Originally from Millaa Millaa in Queensland, Australia, Dr Lachlan McIver is a rural generalist who has treated patients and provided medical care for rural and remote communities in several countries, including around Australia and Pacific Island countries. He’s joining us on the show today to share more about how his work with these communities has highlighted the impact of climate change on the...

Irene Xavier is the Executive Director of Persatuan Sahabat Wanita. She’s a resilient and dedicated activist who has spent her life championing workers' rights in Malaysia and was one of the 106 people detained under the Internal Security Act (Malaysia) in 1987 during Operation Lalang. Despite enduring imprisonment and adversity, Irene’s commitment to justice is unwavering. She joins us on the sho...

For more than a decade, Dr Chen Pelf Nyok has been tirelessly working to conserve and protect our river terrapins, which have been declared as critically endangered. Based in Kemaman, Terengganu, she co-founded the Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia , where she and her team work with the local community to help restore the wild populations of turtles, particularly freshwater turtles. Ahead of...

The Wikimedian of the Year is an annual award that honors Wikipedia editors for their contributions within the Wikimedia movement. In this episode, we speak to Taufik Rosman, a Malaysian who won the award this year, for his work in preserving indigenous East Malaysian languages. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Saleh Sepas is a refugee from Afghanistan. He came to Malaysia with his wife and children, a few years ago after being targeted and blacklisted by the Taliban. When he arrived on Malaysian shores, he had no money and couldn’t speak Bahasa Malaysia or English. Not only that, Malaysian laws do not provide refugees the necessary support they need. Yet, Saleh pushed through and persevered. He went on...

What started as a pet shop, My Pets Haven transformed into well, a haven, for rescued animals, providing temporary shelter, grooming and boarding. Unfortunately, the shelter was given an eviction notice and they have to clear out by October. So, what can the public do to support them? We speak to Aunty Aileen, founder of My Pets Haven.  Image Credit: My Pets Haven See omnystudio.com/listener...

Research and development in medicine has progressed leaps and bounds, with vaccines and drugs being developed at breakneck pace to treat and cure diseases that we know and to prepare for future disease - just think of how fast research moved with COVID-19. Yet, not every disease gets the same attention or resources that some do, especially those that are endemic in low- and middle-income countries...

Tindak Malaysia is an NGO focused on promoting democracy, good governance and active citizen participation in Malaysia. At their core, they believe that we need to fix our electoral system before we can properly fix anything else. We speak to its director, Danesh Prakash Chacko.  Image Credit: Tindak Malaysia See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Persatuan Pekerja Rumah Tangga Indonesia Migran (PERTIMIG) and Asosasyon ng mga Makabayang Manggagawang Pilipino Overseas (AMMPO) are two NGOs that work very closely together with the aim of organizing migrant domestic workers in Malaysia. They focus on various issues such as social security, minimum wage, paid leaves, etc. We speak to some of the key people behind these organisations. Image Credi...

Launched in 2012, IDEAS Autism Centre – an initiative by the think tank, IDEAS – is an organization dedicated to supporting individuals on the autism spectrum. They provide a range of services, resources, and programs to promote the well-being and development of individuals with autism. We speak to Cikgu Sharifah Salleh, principal and centre manager of IDEAS Autism Centre. Image Credit: ideasautis...

Founded in 1982, Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) has been fighting tirelessly for women’s rights for more than four decades, with a special focus on eliminating violence against women. WAO has been one of the most important organisations behind the push for some highly important laws, such as the domestic violence act and the anti-sexual harassment bill. We speak to Sumitra Visvanathan and Amnani A...

MYMP is a project by a trio of volunteers and developers working with MCCHR (Malaysian Centre for Constitutionalism and Human Rights) with the aim of making the process of getting to know your MPs fun and engaging. We speak to Lau Chak Onn, co-founder of MYMP. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Titles and roles of activists may differ, but a good activist can be spotted by their passion and dedication to their work. One such person is Sivananthi Thanenthiran, the Executive Director of the Asian-Pacific Resource & Research Centre for Women (ARROW), a regional non-profit which champions sexual and reproductive rights. A writer and feminist, Siva has championed women’s sexual and reprod...

Dignity for Children Foundation is an NGO based which aims to provide education and care to underprivileged and marginalized children in the country. Through various initiatives, the foundation strives to empower these children and equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge to break the cycle of poverty and build a better future. Image Credit: https://www.facebook.com/dignityforchildren Se...

David Verbeckt is a photojournalist currently living in Hungary. For more than 20 years, David has travelled around the world, documenting humanitarian emergencies and stories of marginalised people. From the 16th - 23rd of March 2023, David has a photo exhibition at the KL Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, called “Burmese Minorities, An Endless Oppression.” The exhibition is co-organised by the You...

Wanita Berdaya Selangor is an organisation that focuses on empowering women in the state of Selangor. The organization was established in 2020 under the Selangor state government to address the gender gap in various fields, including education, employment, and entrepreneurship, among others. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Miko Peled grew up in a prominent Zionist family who helped establish the State of Israel. His grandfather signed Israel’s Declaration of Independence. Miko even served in the Israeli military for a short period of time. However, a personal tragedy drove Miko to explore the truth about Palestine. What he discovered shocked him and woke him up. Today, Miko is a prominent human rights activist fight...

Pusat Perkhidmatan Wanita (PPW) is a partnership between the Penang State Government and WCC, and was launched in 2009 so that women in mainland Penang could access the support and services they require that were previously only available on the island. On this episode, we take a look at how PPW got started and the good work they’ve done over the years. Contact PPW Operating Hours: Monday to Frida...

Mahi Ramakrishnan is the founder of Beyond Borders, an NGO aimed at promoting and protecting the rights of refugees and stateless persons. She is also a journalist and an award-winning filmmaker. She joins us on the show today to talk about her journey in activism and what gives her hope for the future. Image Credit: Facebook/Mahi Ramakrishnan, Mahi Ramakrishnan, Beyond Borders Malaysia and OpenCl...

Ten years ago, co-founders Melani Delilkan and Brian Gomez opened Merdekarya , a space for new artists to "carve their skill, to fumble and to make mistakes and most importantly, learn from them." The survival and success of Merdekarya hasn't come without a lot of personal and professional sacrifice, and we discuss the highs and lows of running an independent local music space like this with Brian...

Rumah Api is more than just a music space - it has been described as an institution that not only promotes music, but punk ideology and attitude. This community-run DIY punk space here in KL has been providing a safe and inclusive space for all, and is also credited as being pivotal to the underground counter-cultural movements of Kuala Lumpur, and by extension Malaysia. We debunk myths about punk...

Shahar “Shaq” Koyok is an artist from the Temuan Orang Asli tribe of Selangor. An activist as well, Shaq has long been combining art and activism to shine an often missing light on Orang Asli culture and traditions, but also to speak up about the struggles and challenges faced by the various OA communities, here in Malaysia. Shaq joins us to share more about his passion for art and activism, and w...