Evening Edition

With Tun Mahathir backing Shafie Apdal as Prime Minister candidate alongside DAP, Amanah and Warisan, we discuss the potential impact on Sabah and Sarawak, and how it will affect political dynamics in the country.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Against the backdrop of the Black Lives Matter movement, international cosmetic brands are removing words like "whitening" and "fairness" from their skincare products. But should these products still be sold in the first place?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In light of a report by Free Malaysia Today on making public transportation safer amid the pandemic, we speak with Ihsan Zainal Mokhtar about rethinking designs for physical distancing. And then, we hear from a regular commuter, Daniel, about his experience.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For a couple of weeks now, Malaysians have taken to social media to complain about unusual spikes in their electricity bills. We hear TNB's explanation on the issue.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The World Bank suggests Malaysia create a non-contributory social pension for those aged 65 and above in the B40 group. We discuss this idea with Christopher Choong.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Food deliveries surged in the past months as people stayed at home, leading to an increased generation of disposable waste. Sabrina Magdalenes shares some insights.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We discuss a report by Fitch Solutions which predicts that the current political uncertainty in the country will halve economic growth in the next decade as compared to the previous one.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Teachers and parents are upset over the Education Ministry's decision to shorten school holidays so that there's more time to finish school syllabuses, The Malaysian Insight reports. We speak with Harry Tan for his thoughts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the announcement that social events are now allowed to accommodate up to 250 people, we speak with Sherly Abdul Aziz about the SOPs that wedding planners will follow, and how couples are feeling about proceeding with weddings under the RMCO.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Erna Mahyuni about her recent opinion piece titled "Why must something go viral to matter?", and discuss how we can move from reactionary responses toward long-lasting institutional improvements.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia is launching a statement of support to the United Nations Secretary-General’s appeal for a global ceasefire, backed by 171 UN states. We explore why a ceasefire is especially relevant as countries tackle the pandemic.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government believes this will lead to more employment opportunities for locals. An economist and the Malaysian Employers Federation offer their take on whether this approach will help tackle rising unemployment rates.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A study by Mastercard finds Malaysia leading e-wallet usage at 40%, ahead of other countries in Southeast Asia. We discuss the findings of the survey and unpack the trend of mobile wallet usage in the country.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He announced his decision to do so, after stating that he no longer wants to work with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, but will continue his alliance with DAP and Amanah.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Form 5 and Form 6 students will be returning to school tomorrow, after three months of school closure. We discuss the implementation of SOPs to keep schools safe from the spread of Covid-19.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We explore the idea to remove import duties on cars, and what impact it might have car sales and the local automotive industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following a report on The Malaysian Insight highlighting the plight of single mothers under the MCO, we speak to two women about their experiences of coping with the pandemic so far. You can check out Puan Saras' homemade cakes on Instagram at @claires_cake_house. Puan Noraishah can be reached at 1001 Resepi Wanden Corner for pineapple tarts and other homecooked food. Women Of Will is an NGO that supports single mothers via micro-credit financing for businesses. You can check out their initiatives here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A number of advertisers are boycotting Facebook, citing the tech company's failure to adopt stricter policies against hate speech.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Talks of snap polls have been floating around for some time now. So to prepare for that possibility, we look at how Malaysians can register to vote, and why it's important to get involved.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to Health D-G Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, discussions are underway to reopen our borders with several "green" countries. We speak with Datuk Dr Christopher Lee about our level of readiness, and what measures need to be in place to control the spread of Covid-19.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The question remains - Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad or Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim? Dr Bridget Welsh helps us break down the internal discord in Pakatan Harapan over its Prime Minister candidate, as the possibility of a snap election looms ahead.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Revenue is plunging to an all time low for the advertising industry, as brands pull out of advertising deals due to the pandemic.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Star reports that cinemas are urging the government to allow them to resume operations. We speak with Cheah Chun Wai about MBO's readiness to do so, and what they will do to reassure moviegoers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The appointment of Parit MP Datuk Mohd Nizar Zakaria as the chairman of the National Population and Family Development Board has led to criticisms due to his lack of relevant background experience in reproductive health issues. We speak with Sivananthi Thanenthiran for her thoughts on the controversy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In commemoration of World Refugee Day, we hear Omar Alkhammash's experience about escaping from his home in Syria, adjusting to a new life, and his involvement in humanitarian efforts for other refugees.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said recently that Perikatan Nasional's thin majority in Parliament makes it difficult to pass bills. But should party loyalties affect legislation?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Logging activities have resumed in Kampung Sungai Papan after the commencement of the RMCO, according to COAC. We reach out to Colin Nicholas to understand the on-ground situation between the Temiar community and the loggers, and what the lifting of restrictions means for the land rights of Orang Asli.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with two university students about their experiences with e-learning, and discuss the challenges as well as how they think it can be improved at the level of tertiary education.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As hotels prepare to welcome local tourists, emphasis has been placed on being clean and safe - a pivot from the past when luxury was the main selling point. We speak to Lavinia Rajaram about the efforts by the hotel industry to regain its flow of customers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Around 4.2 million people or nearly a third of all EPF members have applied for the i-Lestari initiative. We hear EPF CEO Tunku Alizakri Alias' thoughts on this.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysiakini and its editor-in-chief are being cited for contempt of court over several readers' comments on an article. We reach out to Foong Cheng Leong to find out what the law says about holding media portals accountable over comments made by readers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many businesses are having to retrench employees as a cost-cutting measure to endure the financial impact of the pandemic. We speak to Sunitha Ruthram to understand the rights of employees in layoff situations, and what can be done to ensure fair compensation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bukit Aman has called up Hannah Yeoh to investigate a tweet that she made back in March, which asked what would happen to the agenda to end child marriage under Perikatan Nasional. We talk about how good policies can last beyond government changes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yallah Coffee makes news for successfully importing coffee beans from Columbia using just a wind-powered schooner ship, but is it impactful or merely a marketing gimmick?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In response to the lack of a proper parliamentary sitting, youth groups Undi18, Challenger Malaysia and Liga Rakyat Demokratik have come together to organise Parlimen Digital where nearly 6,000 youths have applied. We speak to Qyira Yusri to find out what the session will cover and how it will be run.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As kindergartens gear up to reopen in a couple of weeks, we speak to Ema Shazneen to find out how her kindergarten will ensure that young children understand and obey precautionary measures.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ambank projects an unemployment rate of 6% or higher in the next half of the year. Dr Niaz provides his thoughts on the startling prediction and what the markers would be to determine a bounce back in the economy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Reuters survey found that the number of people who use Instagram for news has doubled since 2018. We discuss what impact this will have on news dissemination.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Top Glove, Hatalega and Supermax report a huge jump in shares in line with the increased demand for rubber gloves due to Covid-19.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After over 30 years in operation, Speedy Video announces the closure of all its outlets in the country.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Analysts say that Bersatu will struggle to stay in power if a snap election takes place. Dr. Wong Chin Huat shares his thoughts on the ongoing political tussles, what he thinks may happen in the coming months, and what a pragmatic approach might look like moving forward.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Dr. Jason Leong about a recent survey by The Sunday Times, which found that arts and human resource management were perceived as among the most non-essential jobs in Singapore.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An image of a malnourished lion allegedly taken at Zoo Negara has sparked off concerns about the zoo's financial state. We speak with Dr Kevin Lazarus to find out how about the costs that are involved in running a zoo.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour unions are calling for the government to come up with guidelines for flexible work arrangements to protect employee rights. We speak with Avinash Kumar for his thoughts on how those guidelines might look like.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new study by Sisters In Islam finds that women still experience discrimination under the Malaysian Shariah system. We speak to Sa'adiah Din for her perspective.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the precautionary SOPs in place, hair salons face a twofold challenge of booking fewer customers and higher operating costs. We speak with Datin Winnie Loo for her experience.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan urged businesses to prioritise hiring Malaysians, especially those who have lost their jobs because of the pandemic. We discuss the feasibility of doing so, and the challenges that will need to be addressed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following the outcry towards the controversial billboard by Limkokwing University, we speak with designer Lum Weng Wah for his thoughts in hindsight, and then discuss with Emmanuel Olalere about dispelling generalizations that are harmful to African people living in Malaysia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amazon banned the use of its facial recognition tool by police force for a year, following concerns about potential racial bias in the technology.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Rodrigo Duterte said recently that students must stay out of schools to fight the pandemic, even if it means not graduating. We speak with Joel Santos to see how this might work out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.