Today I Learned

Criminal Breach of Trust or CBT is a term we’ve been hearing a lot lately, in light of various corruption charges involving high profile politicians. But what exactly is CBT and why is money laundering always mentioned in CBT-related reports? Raymon Ram who’s a certified fraud consultant and the secretary general of Transparency International - Malaysia, joins us to discuss.  Image credit: Sh...

The Social Contract. When we hear this term, most of us have a particular image in our heads – an image of Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tan Cheng Lock and V. T. Sambanthan in a chamber with some old British dudes signing something that has come to define Malaysian politics and history for better or worse. But what if we told you that there’s no mention of “The Social Contract” in our constitution? So, wher...

Littoral Combat Ship. Unless you’ve been living under a rock recently, you would’ve heard about the latest scandal Malaysia is embroiled in, this time centred around six military ships and 9 billion ringgit. Some have called it 1MDB 2.0, but why and who is entangled in this scandal? We’re joined by Cynthia Gabriel, Human Rights Advocate, Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4).  Image c...

According to many studies, toxic work culture is the biggest reason why people quit their jobs. But what exactly does a toxic workplace look like? And on the flip side, how can you tell if you’re the one who’s making your workplace toxic? Deepa George, HR Consultant, joins us to discuss.  Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been a month since the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The shooting came as a shock because Japan is considered one of the safest countries in the world, one where gun violence especially is very much unheard of in modern times. So what has been the sociopolitical fallout of his assassination? Image credit: Wikimedia Commons See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

On the 20th of July 2022, the Malaysian Parliament passed the long-awaited Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill. But did you know that the first draft of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill was penned 22 years ago?  On this episode, we take a look at the origins of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill and the significance of it finally being passed in Parliament.  Image credit: Shutterstock / Lucien Fraud...

The Elon Musk and Twitter saga continues. Billionaire Elon Musk said he’s no longer interested in buying Twitter. Twitter says it’s having none of that and will sue Musk to ensure the deal goes through. So, what does this all mean? In a follow-up to our previous conversation , we speak with Assistant Professor Peter Beattie, Media Researcher, Lecturer, Global Political Economy & Political Psyc...

Most of us probably have some experiences with shyness – That sense of awkwardness or uneasiness felt when in the company of others. The question is, why do we feel shy? And how do we overcome it?  Image credit: Shutterstock / GoodStudio See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China is a one-party state governed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). But are they actually a communist (or socialist) country? On this episode of Today I Learned, we explore China's massive growth over the past three decades, the difference between Chinese socialism and Capitalism, the ups and downs of embracing the free market and how do the youth and working class people in China feel about...

Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, is facing extradition to the United States after it was given the green light by the British Government. So, what exactly is this case about and how does it threaten free speech? Image credit: Wikimedia Commons See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

World Refugee Day is observed every year on the 20th of June to celebrate the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. But what does it mean to be a refugee? What are the challenges they go through? Image credit: Orlok/Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inflation & recession. Every so often, economists and governments use these terms when discussing the economic health of the country. But what exactly do they mean and how does it affect your finances? Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the 1st of June, Johnny Depp won his defamation trial against Amber Heard.  It was televised live and social media consumed and commented on it like a spectator sport or reality tv. While some people watched the entirety of the trial, many others kept up by watching bits and pieces circulating on social media in the form of memes. The entire thing was bizarre, to say the least. Netizens ch...

Money is a big part of our lives and well-being. You need money to put food on the table, to send your kids to school and even for healthcare. But can money buy happiness? Dr Eugene Tee, Associate Professor in Psychology, joins us to explore this question. Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In February 1986, a revolutionary mass revolt in the Philippines led to the downfall of its corrupt and cruel dictator, Ferdinand Marcos. He and his family fled the country. Yet, 36 years later, the Philippines voted in the son of that very same dictator, namely Ferdinand Marcos Jr (also known as Bongbong). So, how did this happen? Dr Maria Atienza, a professor of political science in the Philippi...

Did you know that moral policing women or normalising certain things that men do by chalking it up to “boys will be boys” contributes to violence and sexual assault against women? It’s called Rape Culture. But what exactly is rape culture? Image credit: Ms Jane Campbell/Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The richest person on the planet, Elon Musk, is on the verge of owning Twitter. Mark Zuckerberg owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Billionaires are also behind YouTube. On the surface, these may seem like benign information. But what if we told you that this is dangerous and harmful to you and free speech? Image credit: Frederic Legrand - COMEO/Shutterstock, Twin Design/Shutterstock, Wikimedia...

Healthy Eating can sound scary. Does eating healthy mean no more Nasi Lemak? Does it need to be expensive? Do you have to pick a fancy-sounding diets like “Keto” or “Intermittent Fasting”? Or are these just myths? Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mamak restaurants. They’re everywhere in Malaysia. In fact, they’re a part of our culture. They sell a wide variety of Malaysian food, cater to all races and even televise football matches which brings about massive crowds, especially during the weekend. But how did this unique restaurant concept come to be and how has it contributed to social cohesion in the country? Image credit: Ahmad Fairuzazl...

WWE just concluded its 38th annual Wrestlemania event. The show took place over two days at a packed AT&T Stadium in Texas. More than 130 thousand tickets were sold. In 2015, WrestleMania made the list of most valuable sports brands, even topping the UEFA Champions League. But what on earth is Wrestlemania and why is it such a big deal? Image credit: Wikimedia Commons See omnystudio.com/listen...

Happiness – we all want it, many of us are constantly chasing it, but most of us have no idea what it means to begin with. In this episode, we explore happiness, how it’s different from contentment and how we can go about attaining it. Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Economic sanctions. We’ve been hearing this term a lot recently, especially with relation to the Russia-Ukraine crisis. We know that countries are throwing sanctions at Russia in an effort to stop their invasion of Ukraine. But what exactly are sanctions? And how do they work? Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here’s how many people believe elections in Malaysia work: You cast your vote on election day. The party/coalition that amasses more than half of the population’s votes wins and forms the government. But what if we told you that this isn’t the case; That a lot of the time, the party that forms the government, is a party that isn’t popular amongst the people. On this episode, we discuss our First-P...

Feminists hate men and want women to be the dominant gender. Is that true or is that a myth? It’s International Women’s Day today. International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. In light of that, in this episode, we will be busting myths surrounding feminism. Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for priva...

Russia has invaded Ukraine. Conflict between Russia & the West has reached a boiling point. But what interests lie behind the conflict, and what should be the position of good working-class people? Image credit: Shutterstock & Wikimedia Commons See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.