Evening Edition

In the fifth and final episode of Understanding Refugees, we talk about community events and their values. Back in March, Refuge for The Refugees teamed up with the Myanmar Ethnic Women Refugee Organisation (MEWRO) and LOOOP, a local curated second-hand store, to set up a free shopping experience for refugee women. We talk about why experiences like this is important for the community.Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The National Education Savings Scheme, or SSPN, was first introduced in 2004, to help parents save up for their children's education, and reduce student debt. Ahmad Dasuki Abdul Majid, Chief Executive of PTPTN spoke to us about how this scheme has helped students, and the impact it's had on Malaysian education. For more info, visit www.ptptn.gov.my for details.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The world has been transfixed throughout the ongoing search for the Titan submersible, which went missing with 5 people on board, on an expedition to the wreck of the Titanic. But it's also been compared to the relative lack of coverage (and lack of resources expended) to assist when an overcrowded fishing trawler in Greece capsized, a tragedy that has resulted in the deaths of more than 300 Pakistani nationals. We look at what people are saying, and explore the contrast between both news stories.Image Credit: Instagram/oceangateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the fourth episode of Understanding Refugees, we want to get behind the rhetoric, headlines and politics surrounding the community, and hear a personal story to understand the experience of living as a refugee. So we speak to Sharifah Shakirah, founder of Rohingya Women Development Network Malaysia, who spent two decades here in Malaysia, before resettling in the US. We cover her journey, how she felt, and the unique challenges of being a stateless person throughout this process.Image Credit: Twitter/U.S. Embassy Kuala LumpurSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The issue of how much interns should be paid is back in the headlines, thanks to a round of discussions in Parliament, the PM himself recently saying that he agreed interns should be paid fairly, and interns themselves speaking up. In today's show, we look at the conversation online surrounding this, including whether it should start with a minimum wage, as well as people weighing in with how much they earned as interns during their time.Image Credit: 123rf.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our third episode of Understanding Refugees, we talk about a solution to one of the problems that most directly affects the refugee community - the ability to earn a living legally, considering we don't have a framework that allows for employment. One way around this is through micro-entrepreneurship, which is where Talenpac comes in, offering a 5 month training workshop to help refugees gain the confidence and skills to start businesses of their own. We speak to Talenpac's Managing Director, Charu Agarwal, along with one of the programme's associates and trainers, Sara, who is a refugee herself.Image Credit: 123rf.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a 26 year partnership, Malaysian Airlines is parting ways with Brahim's Food Services at the end of June. There are, predictably, a lot of reactions to this on Twitter., including memories, critiques... and some celebration. We get into all of it, and extend that into a conversation about whether airplane food is ever actually good.Image Credit: 123rf.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the second episode of our weeklong series, Understanding Refugees, we're focusing on the legal rights that refugees have within Malaysia - especially since they can't legally access education or employment - and how we need to do better.Image Credit: 123rf.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following closely on the closing of Book Depository, Borders Malaysia recently announced that it would be shutting its doors as well, with the branch in Bangsar Village 2 shuttering on July 31st. On Twitter, people are taking the opportunity to share their fondest memories of Borders Malaysia, but also having a larger conversation about the future of physical bookstores (and the importance of continuing to have these spaces).Image Credit: 123rf.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The refugee crisis continues to worsen, and has been increasingly politicised over the years - but where did it all start? And what can we learn from the past, in terms of how we can do better? We explore all this from both a global and regional perspective with Aslam Abd Jalil, a researcher of refugee policy.Image Credit: 123rf.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kuantan MP Wan Razali Wan Nor has come under fire for saying that nurses' uniforms are too tight and not syariah-compliant. This took place in parliament during the debate on the Health White Paper. So, we look at some of the responses online and discuss whether it really matters what a nurse's uniform looks like.Image Credit: 123rf.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia is now on the Tier 2 Watch List in this year’s edition of the US State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Report. We discuss what this climb means and what it will it take for us to improve our ranking in the coming year. Image Credit: 123rf.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The last sitting of parliament (at least for now) involved some political patronage in online gambling, Covid-19 vaccine wastages from people not taking second boosters. There were also some exciting discussions about how El Nino might be causing black dots in our durians, as well as fireworks becoming part of our culture and tradition.Image Credit: PinterestSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Prime Minister, Dato' Sri Najib Razak is back in the spotlight once again, after former Law Minister, Zaid Ibrahim posted a tweet urging Prime Minister Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim to release Najib from prison. Zaid's justification being that in the bigger scheme of things, RM42 million is "just small change." We discussed the reactions this has garnered, and heard thoughts from our listeners.Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today's sitting, the MPs talked about MACC’s independence and autonomy, and whether there is information from investigations being deliberately leaked. They also discussed progress updates on the new aerotrains at KLIA and Dato' Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi visiting Dato' Sri Najib Razak in Kajang Prison. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The argument for and against gender norms have raged on for decades, and this digital era is no exception to it. On Twitter, we dive headfirst into a debate on whether women should continue to work, after marriage.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim took center stage today during the PM's Question Time, in which several issues were brought up, including calls for the PM to be referred to disciplinary action over allegedly misleading the Dewan (which was rebuffed by the PM himself). Anwar also unpacked some concerns regarding the maritime border treaties signed between Malaysia and Indonesia. They also discussed the issue of flip-flopping policies, whether this would cause people to lose confidence in the government. Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Twitter user's post of her RM30 plate of nasi lemak has gone viral. In it, she makes an argument for why she would rather spend that amount on a local dish, rather than other more popular foreign dishes like pasta carbonara or seafood aglio olio. This spurred a conversation on how we value our food, especially local dishes. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, the MPs talked about measures the Ministry of Health is taking to promote health literacy among Malaysians and using films to encourage and promote themes of unity. They also discussed what the Ministry of Education is doing to support and prevent students from dropping out of school due to poverty.Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bentong MP, Young Syefura Othman has urged for local councils to update their dog catching procedures, following two incident involving a scuffle between the Bentong Municipal Council and a resident, which led to the latter's death, when he fell into a drain during the altercation. So we discuss this issue, and what it would mean for local councils to revise their methods of catching strays.Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A video of a stand-up comedian, Jocelyn Chia, has gone viral on social media for her jokes about the MH370 incident. Reactions from people have consisted of mostly anger and disappointment at her remarks and even led to Singapore’s High Commissioner, Vanu Gopala Menon, issuing a public apology on behalf of Jocelyn. So, how far can Singaporeans go when making fun of Malaysians? And are there lines that comedians can’t cross? We get into it.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today's session, the controversial and much talked about LCS issue was brought up, following an additional 2.1 billion being allocated under a new agreement. The Dewan also received a visit from the Orang Asli tribe in Cameron Highlands, which saw Dewan Speaker Datuk Ramli Mohd Nor taking off his parliamentary hat and don the tempok. We also looked into the rejected appeal for amendments to codify the meaning of the word Allah.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today's session, the MPs discussed updates on the Malaysia My Second Home programme, and the reason for stricter requirements for foreigners to be eligible (the answer: the discovery of spies applying for the program). They also talked about the possibility of making Bak Kut Teh our national heritage dish, and we, of course, heard from our listeners on what they think about this.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In conjunction with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's 64th birthday celebration, several individuals, including veteran politician Lim Kit Siang, was awarded the 'Tan Sri' title. So, we look at the conversations and some of the criticisms people have been saying on Twitter about the newly minted Tan Sri. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's Dewan Rakyat sitting, the MPs discussed several issues, including some heated ones. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim addressed what action will be taken against Kedah Menteri Besar Dato Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor for his claim that “Penang belongs to Kedah” and also touched on approaches to strengthen the value of the Ringgit. There was also the decision to debate the Auditor-General's Report 2021 Series 2 - with an empty Opposition bloc. We walk you through all the highlights.Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's time for the new generation, the Gen-Z, to shine in the workplace, but a question from Twitter that begs to be answered: Is there a difference in the way people of various generations conduct themselves? Can we all see eye-to-eye? How should one be expected to treat the other? We discuss this conundrum.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Panasonic is about to shut down part of their operations in Malaysia, leaving about thousands of people without jobs. So what happens to employees when big companies closedown their doors? What role do they play in cushioning the blow for their workers?Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whatsapp has unrolled its new feature: The edit button. People are divided, with some hailing the usefulness of being able to edit typos and errors, while others bringing up the potential of it being misused. So we get into it, and asked our listeners where they stand.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A passenger recently shared her experience of travelling on a bus, where the driver was allegedly forced to overwork. This had resulted in reckless driving, culminating in half the passengers having to switch to another bus, and the driver paying for the other half to take a Grab to their destination. We unpack what issues the bus industry might have, and the kind of support that drivers should receive.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An incident involving two cyclists having to pay a fine for parking illegally (because designated spots for bikes were not available to them) has brought up important questions about whether we should be heading toward a city that is more bike-friendly. We discuss this possibility, and what needs to be done to attain it.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A poster uploaded by RapidKL's customer service support Twitter account on mask mandates have caused a bit of noise on social media, with people responding to it by posting pictures of politicians taking the train without wearing their masks. So we unpacked whether these PR attempts backfired, and whether the act of wearing masks on public transport should be monitored more.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transparency International Malaysia has called on Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s administration to hold those involved in the Littoral Combat Ship project accountable, following the government forming a new deal with Boustead Naval Shipyard to resume it. So we're asking, what would it take for this accountability to happen? Is it possible for corruption to be be completely eradicated?Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Twitter user shared their experience of a road rage incident between them and a lorry driver on the Federal Highway, which led to a conversation about how interactions on the road can escalate, and specifically, whether to honk or not to honk (and how to respond when you're honked at).Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We look at the relatively new practice (in Malaysia, at least) of collaborative law, which allows parties seeking to separate or end a marriage to finalize any legal aspects without attending court, while prioritizing the easing of this process for the entire family. Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's finally happened: Netflix has expanded its crackdown on password sharing with people who don't live together. And from what we've seen, people are not happy about it. To get a better understanding of what led Netflix to make this decision, we revisited a conversation that happened on The Morning Run, who spoke to Geetha Ranganathan, Senior Analyst from Bloomberg Intelligence. Then, we opened up the floor to our listeners, and asked them for their thoughts and what they plan on doing now.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Queen of Rock 'n' Roll, Tina Turner, passed away on the 24th of May, 2023, at the age of 83. We discuss her life, her career - which began in the early days of rock n' roll, saw a comeback in the 1980s, and a world tour in the early 2000s - and how her legacy encompasses not just her distinctive music but also her fiery spirit.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's sitting involved a discussion about our sports sector, following our worst performance in history at the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia. Spotlight was on the statement made by the Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh, who attributed the poor performance of our athletes to the political instability of the country for the past few years. We also looked at the ruckus caused by the calling of a bloc vote from the Opposition MPs.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've all had that experience - we're about to travel abroad, and we get peppered with requests: 'Hey, can you buy me [insert product]?' According to Twitter, some of the more common food items people ask for include 3-In-1 coffee, instant noodles, spice mixes - but what else? What kinds of food items do people think of or crave from Malaysia? We get into it.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The MPs discussed several topics today, including the amount of “accumulated unclaimed money” and whether those funds can be channeled towards national development. Dewan Rakyat Speaker Dato Johari Abdul also announced the newly elected Public Accounts Committee members.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Twitter is full of rainbows today, after the Home Ministry raided some Swatch outlets and confiscated items from its Pride Collection. We discussed the arguments that have come out of this incident, particularly when it comes to expectations that international brands have to comply to local sensitivities.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The second day of parliament commenced today, starting with the PM's question time, where the usage of the word Allah in Christian publications were discussed. Separately, the PM also revealed that the National Scam Response Centre will now be open 24 hours a day. The MPs also talked about increasing the quota for women on the board of directors for public listed companies, issues with our RFID systems and the reverting of school to start in January (instead of March, after Covid-19 invaded our lives).Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Social media celebrity chef, Khairul Aming, recently announced that he closed the Sambal Nyet factory for five days and took all 60 of his staff on vacation to Langkawi. They were provided with a 5-star hotel, jetski, explore cave, snorkelling, private yacht to watch the sunset and shopping money. This brought on a wave of admiration and surprise from the public. So we unpack what it means for employers to be nice to their staff, and whether it really is an uncommon sight.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parliament is back in session! The MPs discussed policies that have been implemented to boost Malaysia’s economy and initiatives the government has taken to help drive the development of digital entrepreneurial skills. They also brought up what is being done to formulate the details for the proposed Public Defender’s Act for criminal cases.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former teacher has been on trial at the High Court this week after a former student filed a suit against him in 2018 for allegedly skipping classes for seven months. We talk about the current recruitment and vetting process for teachers and what support elements are in place to keep them motivated and engaged with their work. Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The controversial Penang South Island reclamation project will now be reduced from three islands to only one. We speak to Zairil Khir Johari, the Penang State Executive Councillor for Infrastructure and Transport, about the trade-offs around the controversial project, the competing interests, along with the environmental and economic concerns. Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The rising cost of higher education has been a concern for many Malaysians, particularly after the financial challenges of the pandemic. PTPTN has been helping to bridge this gap. Puan Mastura Mohd Khalid, Chief Operating Officer of PTPTN speaks to us about their recent initiatives and how they plan to continue supporting Malaysians on the path to higher education.For more info, visit www.ptptn.gov.my for details.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sales for Coldplay tickets began this morning, and it's probably fair to say, that what ensued was frenzy and chaos. Tales of browsers crashing, people furiously clicking, and some emerging victorious (and many others disappointed) were aplenty on Twitter. We look at what people had to say, and opened up the show for people to share their complaints... and their gloating.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail announced that a new law may be introduced to decriminalise the possession and use of small quantities of illicit drugs, in order to reduce overcrowding in prisons. The proposed Drug and Substance Abuse (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act would mean that people found with said small quantities of illegal substances will not be prosecuted but instead sent to drug rehabilitation centres. But details are scarce at the moment, and it's unclear what kinds of substances we're talking about and what rehabilitation will actually look like. We discuss these issues with Dr Sangeeth Kaur, and also look at the complexities we need to consider in decriminalising drugs.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A discussion on Twitter on who should pay for the first date has gone viral. So do you split the bill? Or does the onus of payment fall on the person who invites you out? We get into it.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thailand’s democratic opposition has won the most seats and the largest share of the popular vote, a move that analysts have described as historic, and outstanding. We unpack this win, especially as voters overwhelmingly chose parties invested in reform (including of lese majeste laws), and also get into the complicated path ahead of trying to determine who will emerge as Prime Minister.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.