Inside Story

The government's plan to remove ceiling prices and subsidies for chicken, eggs and bottled palm cooking oil will take effect on the 1st of July. It's a move that has ignited fears around the rising cost of living- we discuss its impact and who will be feeling the brunt of this policy reversal. Then, we dive into what's needed to to create an effective system that better identifies people in need o...

SPM results were released last week, and a robust conversation ensued about whether a university degree has the same value it used to. So we start our conversation by unpacking this question. Then, we talk about the uncertainties that SPM leavers experience when leaving school, and how to cope with them. Image Source: Laboo Studio, Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has announced a new scholarship worth RM36 million aimed at sponsoring B40 students in TVET programmes. First, we discuss how this initiative might benefit students from the B40 category and how we can make it effective. Next, we explore how we can make TVET the top choice for SPM leavers and how having a career in TVET can contribute to nation buildin...

It's World Refugee Day today and the theme for this year is 'Whoever, Whatever, Whenever. Everyone has the right to seek safety.' First, we speak to 2 refugees in Malaysia to hear from their lived experiences. Next, we speak to Aslam Abd Jalil, a researcher on refugee policy to get his take on how Malaysia is doing in line with this year's theme. Image Source: Amors photos, Shutterstock See omnyst...

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob recently announced that RapidKL's public transport services will be free for a month, in order to alleviate cost of living pressures, and reduce traffic jams in KL. We use this as a jumping off point to talk about the larger issues of cost of living in our country. First though, we look at the move itself, and the reactions to it on social media (hint:...

Malaysia came in 32nd out of 63 countries in the 2022 International Institute for Management Development (IMD) World Competitiveness Ranking. We speak to Dr. Ong Kian Ming about where we rank and how much weight such rankings hold. Then, we look at top performers in the Asia Pacific region, and what we could be learning from them. Image Source: Joshua Golde, Unsplash See omnystudio.com/listener fo...

Malaysia's hospitality services are currently facing a shortage of manpower, and this is happening at a time when the tourism sector is seeing an increase in business. First, we get into the impact of this shortage, and what needs to happen to attract more people to join the industry. Then, we discuss the importance of well-trained tourism workers for the travel experience as a whole. Image Source...

The prices of roti canai and teh tarik - both staples of Malaysian mamak restaurants - have gone up, with shop owners being forced to adjust their pricing to keep up with the rising cost of food overall. We look into this, firstly by trying to make sense of these climbing costs, and why an index specifically looking at teh tarik and roti canai is helpful. Then, we get some tips on how to plan and...

Some long-awaited good news: Malaysia has announced its decision to abolish the mandatory death penalty. In a statement, de facto law minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar revealed that the government has agreed to this decision with a substitute sentence to be imposed at the discretion of the courts. We first discuss the impact of this landmark decision. Then, we look at what needs to...

Have our agricultural policies led to food insecurity in Malaysia? We look at the policies we have in place, and what some of the gaps are. Then we discuss realistic measures that the government can take to future proof our food needs. Image Source: michel arnault, Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The issue of people migrating out of Malaysia has always been constant one, and a new report by Bernama has revealed that the majority of people who migrate abroad are women. First, we look into migration trends and what the push and pull factors really are. Then, we circle back to women, and why they're the group migrating the most. Image Source: Daria Shevtsova, Pexels See omnystudio.com/listene...

To commemorate World Environment Day and this year's theme 'Only One Earth', we explore the idea of integrating nature into urban settings. Then, we analyse local sustainability efforts and practices. Finally, we look at indigenous communities and their relationship with the environment, and what we can learn from them. Image Source: Akil Mazumder, Pexels See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy in...

Education Minister Mohd Radzi Md Jidin has announced that the PT3 examinations will be abolished from this year. He added the education ministry will replace it with summative assessments which will cover 5 subjects in primary schools. We discuss the pros and cons of this move and whether it signals a pivot from exam-based education. Next, we get into whether our secondary school systems sufficien...

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has revealed plans to reimplement the Goods And Services Tax (GST), despite awareness of its unpopularity. He said that this proposal is being made in an attempt to expand the government's revenue base and carry the weight of public subsidies, considering the nation's current economic state. First, we talk about its possible reintroduction, its impact,...

We're expanding the conversation on childcare centres by looking into concerns raised by parents on the costs of childcare centres. We get into how much childcare actually costs in Malaysia and whether it’s accessible to everyone. Then, we discuss the larger support systems that need to be put in place to help parents. Image Source: Kelli McClintock, Unsplash See omnystudio.com/listener for privac...

It's World No Tobacco Day, so we look at where we are with the tobacco endgame in our country - have the anti-smoking campaigns worked? And then we explore this year's theme, which examines the environmental impact of tobacco from cultivation to consumption. Image Source: Possessed Photography, Unsplash See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been slightly over a month since Suhakam have been operating without appointing a new chairman and commissioners to replace the 5 who stepped down. Since then, a group of 8 NGOs have come forward to push the government to appoint new members to the positions. We speak to former commissioner, Jerald Joseph on what's going on and what needs to be done to resolve this. Next, we discuss Suhakam's...

The 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer report revealed that Malaysians' sense of trust in the government and public institutions has declined significantly since last year. Additionally, more Malaysians are growing wary of the media amid growing concern about fake news and disinformation. We analyse the perceptions that are driving these concerns and the consequences that this loss of trust may bring. I...

In a roundup of political movements and party affiliations, we discuss Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Aziz’s Umno membership, and calls for him to come clean on how long he’s been a member. Then, we look at the implications of Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin quitting Bersatu to join Parti Bangsa Malaysia. Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk...

DBKL has announced plans to conduct a detailed study on measures to reduce traffic congestion in Kuala Lumpur, following reports of congestion in the city being worse than pre-pandemic levels. First, we discuss the factors behind the increased congestion, and what the study should focus on. Then, we look at potential solutions and what we should be planning for. Image source: Nik Radzi, Unsplash S...

Local businesses and consumers have been grappling with rising costs of food ingredients like chicken and oil, amidst high global commodity prices, disruptions in the supply chain, and our weakening ringgit. We get into this issue by first speaking to an F&B owner about how this directly impacts their business. Then, we discuss long term policies to establish a stronger food security safety ne...

It's been 40 years since Malaysia's Look East Policy (LEP) was implemented by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir. We look back at how the policy has shaped our bilateral relations, the impact it has had on our economic and social growth, as well as what Looking East means for the next phase of Malaysia's development. Then, we discuss what Malaysia's foreign policies could look like, based on cu...

This week, news broke of a data leak involving personal details of 22.5 million Malaysians that has allegedly been stolen from the National Registration Department, and are now up for sale on a database marketplace. We dissect the significance of this leak and what it would mean for people. Then, we discuss steps we can take to ensure our data is protected and how we can cultivate more awareness o...

The appointment of Dato' Sri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman as ambassador to Indonesia has drawn criticism from the political, civil, and diplomatic community. We discuss Tajuddin's political career, past gaffes, and the reactions behind his appointment. Next, we look at Malaysia and Indonesia's current relationship with a look at the role of the ambassador. Image Source: Shahjehan, Shutterstock See omnyst...

We're honouring our educators today in celebration of Teachers Day, as many teachers have had to grapple with a variety of challenges in the past two years of the pandemic. We check in on how they have been faring as schools have reopened, as well as the kinds of support they need. Then, we hear about the lessons that teachers have learned over the course of these two years. Image source: Element5...