Beyond the Ballot Box

The big perennial problem in Malaysia is wages. A lot of Malaysians today feel they're working harder but not getting ahead—they're either experiencing stagnant incomes or finding themselves worse off than the generation before—because wages remain stubbornly low. Despite years of economic growth, many households continue to struggle with the rising cost of living, raising fundamental questions about whether the benefits of that growth are being shared fairly. So, what’s the deal with wages in Malaysia?In this episode, we unpack this topic with Dr Matthew Dornan, Senior Economist at the World Bank. The World Bank has recently produced a study called Raising the Ceiling, Raising the Floor: The Jobs Agenda as a Productivity Agenda for Malaysia. Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to UNHCR, there are about 117 million asylum seekers worldwide as of 2025. In Malaysia, approximately 200,000 refugees and asylum seekers are registered with UNHCR, with estimates suggesting the actual number may be significantly higher. In past interviews, we’ve talked extensively about some of the challenges faced by refugees. The truth is, whether we “like” them or not, so long as people in parts of the world are getting bombed, ethnically cleansed and facing severe persecution, there will be refugees. And they will go wherever that makes the most sense geographically and logistically, for safety. In this episode, we explore a few angles, including why there’s been a rise of anti-Rohingya sentiment in recent weeks, if refugees are a strain to public services and whether the new DPP – Dokumen Pendaftaran Pelarian or Refugee Registration Document – by the government is a step in the right direction. We speak to Aira Azhari, CEO, Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS). Recommended reading: The Economic Impact of Granting Refugees in Malaysia the Right to Work. Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since the end of World War II, the world has been underpinned by a particular global economic system: Liberalism. This has solidified further since the end of the Cold War and has remained largely unchanged for decades. However, for various reasons that we will unpack throughout this conversation, that world is fading. So, amidst the increasingly fluid geopolitical landscape, will a different order take shape?Arividya Arimuthu, a senior fellow at the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia, wrote an article titled From progressive liberalisation to strategic protection: The quiet rewriting of trade doctrine, which explores exactly this. She joins me on the show today to unpack this further. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many Malaysians are familiar with the story of how colonial powers used divide-and-rule policies to reshape Malayan society, creating ethnic and class structures whose effects continue to reverberate today. But how should we understand our political and economic development post-independence? How did neoliberalism reshape society? Why, despite decades of economic growth, do so many Malaysians continue to struggle with stagnant wages, rising living costs, debt, housing affordability and more? As Malaysia faces the challenges of the 21st century, a different kind of political and economic model is needed to build a society that is both prosperous and fair, but what should that look like?So many big questions. In this episode, we speak to Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj, chairperson of Parti Sosialis Malaysia. He has written a paper for the Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research titled Contemporary Challenges for the Malaysian Left. Image Credit: Tricontinental AsiaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An extensive new report by the criminal justice system reform NGO Hayat contends that Malaysia’s anti-drug framework has evolved into a system that often punishes low-level couriers who are deceived and manipulated rather than kingpins that run the show. It traces this problem to two key legal mechanisms: statutory presumptions in the Dangerous Drugs Act and the doctrine of wilful blindness. Together, these rules shift the burden onto accused persons to prove they did not know they were carrying drugs, even in cases involving hidden compartments, forged travel arrangements, romance scams, or fraudulent job offers. A major focus is the landmark case of Herlina Purnama Sari, an Indonesian woman sentenced to death after drugs were found in her luggage. In this episode, we unpack this and more with Tham Jia Vern, who's a researcher at HAYAT and one of the authors of the report. Image Credit: HayatSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Strait of Hormuz has been blocked for a few months now, which has resulted in a global energy crisis. While some hope things will return to the way they were, many geopolitical experts think this is the new normal. So it's all the more reason for us to understand the conflict between Iran and the West at a deeper level. In his paper titled The Intimate Enmity: Iran and the West, Yin Shao Loong, who’s the deputy director of research at the Khazanah Research Institute argues that the US-Israeli illegal war on Iran and Iran’s subsequent retaliation cannot be understood simply by looking at the past few months, as it is only the latest chapter in a much longer history of imperial intervention and regional power struggles. In this episode, Shao Loong joins us to unpack his paper. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Chee Soon Juan is one of Singapore’s most prominent opposition politicians and has served as secretary-general of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) since 1993. Despite not having a seat in Parliament, Chee has spent decades advocating greater political pluralism, civil liberties, democratic reform, and stronger social welfare policies in Singapore. Like most in Singapore who choose to actively battle the PAP in the political arena, Dr Chee’s journey has been an uphill one, marked by legal troubles, arrests and prison time. In this episode, we speak to Dr Chee on the realities of being part of the opposition in Singapore and the challenges the country faces despite years of good governance by the ruling PAP. We also talk about his new book, Unbroken: The Power of Resilience. Image Credit: Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) FacebookSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Saul Takahashi is a Japanese human rights lawyer and academic known for his work on Palestine, international human rights law, and Islamophobia research. He served as Deputy Head of Office of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Occupied Palestine from March 2009 to May 2014. He’s currently a Non-resident Fellow at the Hashim Sani Centre for Palestine Studies, University Malaya. In this episode, we speak to Saul about his personal journey, what he learned about the limits of the United Nations while working there, what he witnessed while living and working in Palestine, post-war Japan and more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kami Orang Sini Juga is a mini-series in collaboration with IMAN Research. This series explores how young Malaysian Indians and Chinese understand identity, belonging, and their place in Malaysia today. It builds on IMAN’s earlier project, Orang Kita, which focused on Malay Muslim youth.In the 8th and final episode, we explore the rise of China as a global powerhouse and whether its soft power is shaping the identity and political views of young, local Chinese. We also interrogate whether its soft power is any different from how Hong Kong and Taiwan captured the imagination of Malaysian-Chinese back in the 80s-2000s, or how the English-speaking community is often shaped by American pop culture and politics.We speak to Liew Liang Hong, Researcher, IMAN Research. Listen to the rest of the episodes of the series here.And if you missed it, we previously covered IMAN’s Orang Kita project on Malay-Muslim youth. Here is the list of episodes - The Malays Are More Politically Diverse Than You ThinkDoes the MADANI Branding Capture the Imagination of Young Malays?Farmlands & Financial Hubs: How Land Use Shapes Voting Patterns in MalaysiaWhat Do Malay Youths Want?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kami Orang Sini Juga is a mini-series in collaboration with IMAN Research. This series explores how young Malaysian Indians and Chinese understand identity, belonging, and their place in Malaysia today. It builds on IMAN’s earlier project, Orang Kita, which focused on Malay Muslim youth.In the seventh episode, we unpack a bit of the history of one of the most well-organised far-right organisations in the world, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and explore whether it has spread its wings to Malaysia. We also talk about actor-turned politician Vijay (who recently won the Tamil Nadu elections and became its chief minister) and how he is capturing the political imagination of the diaspora community in ways others can't. In this episode, we are once again joined by Shalini Muniapan, who is a researcher at IMAN Research. Listen to the rest of the episodes of the series here.And if you missed it, we previously covered IMAN’s Orang Kita project on Malay-Muslim youth. Here is the list of episodes - The Malays Are More Politically Diverse Than You ThinkDoes the MADANI Branding Capture the Imagination of Young Malays?Farmlands & Financial Hubs: How Land Use Shapes Voting Patterns in MalaysiaWhat Do Malay Youths Want?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kami Orang Sini Juga is a mini-series in collaboration with IMAN Research. This series explores how young Malaysian Indians and Chinese understand identity, belonging, and their place in Malaysia today. It builds on IMAN’s earlier project, Orang Kita, which focused on Malay Muslim youth.In the sixth episode, we explore the key priorities of Malaysian-Chinese youth, including infrastructure and social harmony. We speak to Liew Liang Hong, Researcher, IMAN Research. Listen to the rest of the episodes of the series here.And if you missed it, we previously covered IMAN’s Orang Kita project on Malay-Muslim youth. Here is the list of episodes - The Malays Are More Politically Diverse Than You ThinkDoes the MADANI Branding Capture the Imagination of Young Malays?Farmlands & Financial Hubs: How Land Use Shapes Voting Patterns in MalaysiaWhat Do Malay Youths Want?Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kami Orang Sini Juga is a mini-series in collaboration with IMAN Research. This series explores how young Malaysian Indians and Chinese understand identity, belonging, and their place in Malaysia today. It builds on IMAN’s earlier project, Orang Kita, which focused on Malay Muslim youth.In the fifth episode, we unpack why young Malaysian Indians feel disconnected from politics in the country, how they feel about race based political parties and what meaningful political re-engagement could look like. Listen to rest of the episodes of the series here.And if you missed it, we previously covered IMAN’s Orang Kita project on Malay-Muslim youth. Here is the list of episodes - The Malays Are More Politically Diverse Than You ThinkDoes the MADANI Branding Capture the Imagination of Young Malays?Farmlands & Financial Hubs: How Land Use Shapes Voting Patterns in MalaysiaWhat Do Malay Youths Want?Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kami Orang Sini Juga is a mini-series in collaboration with IMAN Research. This series explores how young Malaysian Indians and Chinese understand identity, belonging, and their place in Malaysia today. It builds on IMAN’s earlier project, Orang Kita, which focused on Malay Muslim youth.In the fourth episode, we unpack how young Malaysian Chinese relate to politics of the country, as well as their yearning for community third spaces. Listen to rest of the episodes of the series here.And if you missed it, we previously covered IMAN’s Orang Kita project on Malay-Muslim youth. Here is the list of episodes - The Malays Are More Politically Diverse Than You ThinkDoes the MADANI Branding Capture the Imagination of Young Malays?Farmlands & Financial Hubs: How Land Use Shapes Voting Patterns in MalaysiaWhat Do Malay Youths Want?Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kami Orang Sini Juga is a mini-series in collaboration with IMAN Research. This series explores how young Malaysian Indians and Chinese understand identity, belonging, and their place in Malaysia today. It builds on IMAN’s earlier project, Orang Kita, which focused on Malay Muslim youth.In the third episode, we unpack if Malaysian-Indians feel shortchanged by the education system, with Shaleen Surendra, Researcher at IMAN Research. Listen to Episode 1 & 2 of the series here.And if you missed it, we previously covered IMAN’s Orang Kita project on Malay-Muslim youth. Here is the list of episodes - The Malays Are More Politically Diverse Than You ThinkDoes the MADANI Branding Capture the Imagination of Young Malays?Farmlands & Financial Hubs: How Land Use Shapes Voting Patterns in MalaysiaWhat Do Malay Youths Want?Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kami Orang Sini Juga is a new mini-series in collaboration with IMAN Research. This series explores how young Malaysian Indians and Chinese understand identity, belonging, and their place in Malaysia today. It builds on IMAN’s earlier project, Orang Kita, which focused on Malay Muslim youth.In the second episode, we explore what it means to be Malaysian-Chinese today — not just as an ethnic category, but as a lived identity shaped by history, language, class, geography, religion, politics, and global culture.We unpack this with Violet Lee, Researcher, IMAN Research. Listen to Episode 1 of the series here.And if you missed it, we previously covered IMAN’s Orang Kita project on Malay-Muslim youth. Here is the list of episodes - The Malays Are More Politically Diverse Than You ThinkDoes the MADANI Branding Capture the Imagination of Young Malays?Farmlands & Financial Hubs: How Land Use Shapes Voting Patterns in MalaysiaWhat Do Malay Youths Want?Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kami Orang Sini Juga is a new mini-series in collaboration with IMAN Research. This series explores how young Malaysian Indians and Chinese understand identity, belonging, and their place in Malaysia today. It builds on IMAN’s earlier project, Orang Kita, which focused on Malay Muslim youth.In this first episode, we provide an overview of the diversity within the Malaysian Indian community and how language and class shape how Indians relate to one another and to other communities. In this episode, we speak to Shaleen Surendra, Researcher, IMAN Research. And if you missed it, we previously covered IMAN’s Orang Kita project on Malay-Muslim youth. Here is the list of episodes - The Malays Are More Politically Diverse Than You ThinkDoes the MADANI Branding Capture the Imagination of Young Malays?Farmlands & Financial Hubs: How Land Use Shapes Voting Patterns in MalaysiaWhat Do Malay Youths Want?Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gerakan Gabungan Anti-Imperialis or GEGAR is a progressive youth-led movement that aims to build a left-wing, multicultural, and transnational front in Malaysia against Zionism and U.S. imperialism. Since their formation in 2023, they’ve been organising and mobilising against U.S. interventionist aggression in the Global South, with a special focus on the liberation of Palestine. We speak to Kamal Aarif K, organising committee member of GEGAR, about the organisation, what it means to organise against Western imperialism in Malaysia, the consequences of the US-led global order, and more. GEGAR is also one of the organising groups of this year’s Labour Day rally happening tomorrow, the 1st of May. The march will begin at Masjid Negara at 3 pm and end at Dataran Merdeka.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour Day is observed every year on the 1st of May. It’s a holiday in most countries around the world and perhaps one of the most important ones. However, most of us don’t think about its significance and even take it for granted. Behind the holiday lies a legacy of protest, solidarity, and the ongoing fight for workers’ rights, even in here in Malaysia. In this episode, we discuss the significance of Labour Day as well as the upcoming Labour Day rally happening in KL this Friday. The march will begin at Masjid Negara at 3pm and end at Dataran Merdeka. We speak to S. Arutchelvan, Deputy Chairperson, Parti Sosialis Malaysia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MPs skipping parliament has long been a problem in Malaysia. It’s not uncommon to turn on the TV to watch a parliamentary sitting and notice droves of empty seats. The most mind-boggling aspect is that an MP, which literally stands for Member of Parliament, can be absent from parliament for a period of six months before Parliament may – not must, but may – declare their seat vacant. In response to this, political activist and pro-democracy advocate Roshinee Mookaiah recently launched a ‘Dilarang Ponteng Parliament’ campaign. She’s collecting at least 500 petition signatures, which would make the petition eligible for an MP to sponsor and table it in Parliament. We speak to Roshinee about her campaign and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In April, Palestinians observe two very important days. The first is Palestinian Children’s Day, which takes place on the 5th and was established in 1995 by the late Palestinian liberation activist and politician, Yasser Arafat, to highlight the rights and welfare of Palestinian children. April is also the month of Palestinian Prisoners Day to honour Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli detention. In this episode, we discuss the importance of both those days with Baha Hilo, who’s a Palestinian educator and activist currently in Malaysia. Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charles Hector is a Malaysian lawyer and prominent human rights advocate known for his long-standing activism on issues such as labour rights, migrant worker protection, and campaigning against the abolition of the ISA back in the day. He’s also been closely associated with civil society groups like Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture (MADPET), frequently speaking out on legal, political, and justice-related matters in Malaysia, sometimes facing legal challenges for his advocacy work. We speak to Charles about his journey as an activist and how he thinks about the state of labour rights in Malaysia today.Image Credits: Charles Hector FacebookSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Dialogue Across Civilisations: The Polis and the People by Tan Wah-Piow is a short work of political philosophy that stages an imagined conversation between major thinkers from different eras and traditions, including ancient Greek Philosopher, Socrates, revolutionary German thinker, Karl Marx to ancient Chinese philosopher, Confucius. It explores enduring questions about justice, democracy, power, and civilisation. We unpack the book with its author. Image Credits: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’re someone who lives in the Klang Valley or in other major cities in the country, chances are you’re at least somewhat aware that there is racial discrimination in the rental market. You may have your own lived experience, heard a story from a friend, or perhaps seen a sign online or walked past one in real life that reads “No x race" or "no y race” or maybe… “Chinese only.”But just how serious is the issue of discrimination in Malaysia’s rental market? And what can we do about it?Architects of Diversity is a non-profit that has been conducting extensive research in this field for a few years. Their latest paper is titled Room Rental Discrimination and highlights in detail patterns of racial exclusion in listings on the platform, iBilik. We unpack this with Jason Wee, who’s the co-founder of Architects of Diversity. To support the call for a Residential Tenancy Act, sign the petition at: https://chng.it/kHnxhmnR2tImage Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Ilango Karuppanan is a former Malaysian diplomat who has witnessed firsthand how war and conflict can shape conditions on the ground, including how businesses adapt. In this episode, we speak to Dr Ilango about some of the lessons he has learned over the years about diplomacy and how the US & Israel’s illegal war of aggression in Iran is impacting international relations and perceptions about American leadership. Dr Ilango also runs a YouTube channel called Diplomatify, where he talks about global affairs and diplomacy in informative and easily digestible videos. Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (SOSMA) has once again come under fire following reports that several minors were detained under its provisions in a recent security operation. The case has sparked concern among human rights groups, including SUARAM, over potential violations of child protection laws and allegations of abuse while in custody. The incident has also reignited calls for urgent reforms of the law to better balance national security with fundamental rights. But how exactly do we strike that balance? We speak to Azura Nasron, who is the executive director of SUARAM, about why this happens and what needs to be done moving forward. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The world is changing at a pace few expected. From the ongoing Russia–Ukraine War to the devastation in Gaza Strip and Israel’s broader regional expansion, the foundations of the post-Cold War order appear increasingly unstable. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Mark Carney warned that there is a "rupture" in the global order. Meanwhile, European leaders such as Emmanuel Macron have called for greater strategic autonomy, arguing that Europe must be prepared to act independently in an era of intensifying great-power competition. Together, these shifts raise pressing questions about the future cohesion of the NATO alliance and force a reconsideration of Europe’s role, whether as a junior partner to the United States or as a more assertive, sovereign entity in a polarised world. We speak to Frederik Holst, Fellow of the Research Center for Interdisciplinary Studies on Democracy in Germany.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In late February 2026, the United States and Israel carried out coordinated illegal military strikes on Iran, which is a sovereign country. Within the first few days, they bombed a school full of young Iranian girls and assassinated Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Iranian head of state. This set off a rapidly escalating regional conflict, with Iran attacking US military bases in neighbouring Gulf countries, as well as restricting ships from entering the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most important arteries of the global economy.So what does this escalation mean for global energy markets, trade, and economic stability. Where does ASEAN and Malaysia stand in all of this? After all, in Malaysia, our subsidies maintain how much we have to fork out for fuel as consumers, but the actual price has skyrocketed which will have tremendous ripple effects. We unpack all of this and more with Yin Shao Loong, Deputy Director of Research, Khazanah Research Institute. Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, we’re living through what often feels like a constant stream of disruptions, from wars, economic instability, the climate change, and even loneliness and a loss of meaning and purpose in life. In an article for For Pol India, political analyst Manishankar Prasad argues that these crises are not isolated but intertwined and due to late-stage capitalism. So, in this episode, we speak to Manishankar about how these overlapping crises may be a structural feature of neoliberal capitalism, driven by inequality, financialization, and the concentration of power in the hands of the elites. They also examine how automation and AI, rather than liberating people, often displace workers and deepen insecurity, contributing to a broader loss of meaning, and so much more.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Timor-Leste is a relatively young nation with an incredibly rich history and culture that many, even within the region, may not be very familiar with. It is also the newest member of ASEAN.In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Rui Maria de Araújo. Dr Rui, who's a member of the revolutionary centre-left political party Fretilin, is a physician, public health specialist, and statesman, and also served as Prime Minister of Timor-Leste between 2015 and 2017. He has been a long-time public health leader, playing a key role in rebuilding the country’s healthcare system and shaping Timor-Leste’s development path.We discuss what comes next now that the country has officially joined ASEAN – from striking a balance between trade and development to investing in human capital. We also talk about the country’s rich history and culture. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Petaling Jaya was originally developed in the 1950s as one of Malaysia’s first planned suburbs, built to house residents moving out of the crowded city centre of Kuala Lumpur. Decades later, many of its neighbourhoods are ageing even as demand to live in PJ remains strong because of its central location and economic activity. Now, a new local plan aims to transform the city from a low-rise suburb into a denser, more vibrant urban centre that can attract younger residents while remaining liveable for existing communities. In this episode, we unpack that vision and what it could mean for the future of Petaling Jaya, with Kusaaliny Mahendran, Councillor, Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ). Kusha is also a member of the Democratic Action Party (DAP) and is on the committee of the DAP’s socialist youth wing. We also spent some time talking about some of the heightened racial and religious tensions recently involving temples. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia’s fight against corruption remains one of the country’s most persistent political and institutional challenges. While the latest results from the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index show Malaysia improving slightly to 52 points and ranking 54th globally, the broader picture remains complicated. Progress in rankings does not necessarily mean corruption has been meaningfully reduced, especially as major controversies continue to surface around powerful institutions, corporate interests, and the very bodies tasked with enforcing anti-corruption laws.We speak to Raymon Ram, President, Transparency International Malaysia, about how the government is doing in its fight against corruption.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MANDIRI is a youth-driven civil society organisation founded in 2024 that aims to strengthen democratic participation, social justice, and civic engagement among young people. It is established by a group of activists, namely Amir Hadi, Mohamad Alshatry and Dobby Chew – names you probably recognise if you’ve been listening to the show for some time. In this episode, we speak to Dobby Chew about what the organisation is all about, the state of civil society in Malaysia today, and the upcoming MUDA elections in which Dobby is contesting.Image Credit: MANDIRI MalaysiaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia today finds itself at an important juncture. For starters, the MADANI government is currently led by a reformist coalition and a Prime Minister who has championed good governance and institutional reform for decades. The past few weeks have been especially pivotal, though. On the one hand, you’ve got a recent Bloomberg investigation into alleged “corporate mafia” behaviour within the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), including controversy surrounding Chief Commissioner Azam Baki.  This has reignited public concerns about integrity and continues to impact public trust in the government and institutions. At the same time, the government has tabled major reform initiatives  from the long-debated Attorney General–Public Prosecutor split to a constitutional amendment to introduce a two-term limit for the Prime Minister. So, how do we make sense of the government’s reform agenda so far, particularly when it comes to prosecutorial independence and the structures of the MACC?We speak to Maha Balakrishnan, Parliamentary and Policy Advocacy Specialist. Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two days ago, the U.S. and Israel launched massive joint air operations against Iran, saying they were targeting military infrastructure and seeking regime change. Hundreds of civilians have been killed, including more than a hundred young Iranian girls, whose school was bombed. Several senior Iranian military figures and politicians have also been killed, including the Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei. Iran has since launched retaliatory attacks on U.S. bases across the Gulf. The confrontation is ongoing and continues to escalate.The death of Ayatollah Khamenei has invited a spectrum of responses from outright condemnation of what many see as illegal aggression, to support from those who argue that removing authoritarian regimes may create space for democracy. In this episode, we step back from the headlines to examine the first principles of geopolitics: who has the right to decide, and on what grounds.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the longest time, particularly since the late 90s, then-opposition parties from PKR to DAP to PAS campaigned on a platform of anti-corruption and anti-cronyism, against the Barisan Nasional. This only intensified during former, disgraced Prime Minister Najib Razak’s time in power and the 1MDB scandal. This ultimately led to the downfall of the Barisan Nasional government in 2018.The question is, how much do these parties actually practice the transparency and accountability they once demanded of others?Recently, the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies (IKMAS) at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), in collaboration with the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), published a paper on the transparency index of political parties in Malaysia.In this episode, we speak to one of the co-authors of the paper, Dr Haris Zuan, from UKM, about what the findings reveal regarding internal democracy and financial transparency within Malaysia’s major political parties.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We often hear about neighbourhoods being evicted, houses being torn down, and communities organising against the state or private developers, demanding fair compensation, proper consultation, and the right to remain on their land.Development, Displacement and Democracy: The Place of Eviction Protests in Malaysia is a paper that examines how these eviction protests function as an important but often overlooked form of democratic participation in Malaysia’s development process. The paper argues that eviction protests should be recognised as legitimate democratic actors and recommends stronger legal protections, institutionalised public consultation, and formal inclusion of CSOs to ensure more participatory and just development in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this episode, we unpack the paper with its author, Jeremy Lim. Image Credit: socialis.netSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Take One Action is an initiative based in Scotland that uses film as a tool to help people make sense of the world. The organisation curates documentaries and features that explore themes like inequality, climate justice, human rights, and collective action, often pairing them with discussions, workshops, and conversations with activists, academics, and filmmakers. In this episode, we speak to Daisy Crooke, Events and Communities Coordinator, Take One Action, about the power of film in helping us make sense of the world and politics. Daisy Crooke is also working together with the Malaysian Freedom Film Network on their Emerging Curators Lab. For more information, visit: freedomfilm.my/emergingcuratorslabImage Credit: Take One ActionSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For many of us born in the 90s, we’ve only known one world: A world where the US has been the singular hegemon, leading what we call a unipolar world. This has been the case since the tail end of the Cold War and especially so after the fall of the Berlin Wall. But things are changing. There’s plenty of talk about a shift towards a multipolar world. This isn’t just what’s been said by leftists or anti-colonialists from the global south. It was also highlighted by the Canadian Prime Minister and former governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, in his speech at Davos on a new world order. He called it a “rupture.” So, how do we make sense of these changes? And what does it mean for Malaysia?In this two-part conversation, I speak to Dr Lim Teck Ghee, who’s an economic historian, author, and public intellectual. His new book “China Rising: USA and West Responses” is a compilation of over 50 column articles in Oriental Daily over the past 4 years, focused on, as the title suggests, the emergence of China as a global political and economic force. In part two of the conversation, we focus on: What are the possibilities of World War III with Taiwan as the flashpoint?Is it time for China to put the 1949 revolution behind it and accept Taiwan as a sovereign nation? The human rights violations in XinjiangShould China put its principle of non-interference aside and actively defend its allies militarilyWhat should ASEAN keep in mind as China continues to riseImage Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For many of us born in the 90s, we’ve only known one world: A world where the US has been the singular hegemon, leading what we call a unipolar world. This has been the case since the tail end of the Cold War and especially so after the fall of the Berlin Wall. But things are changing. There’s plenty of talk about a shift towards a multipolar world. This isn’t just what’s been said by leftists or anti-colonialists from the global south. It was also highlighted by the Canadian Prime Minister and former governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney in his speech at Davos on a new world order. He called it a “rupture.” So, how do we make sense of these changes? And what does it mean for Malaysia?In this two-part conversation, I speak to Dr Lim Teck Ghee, who’s an economic historian, author and public intellectual. His new book “China Rising: USA and West Responses” is a compilation of over 50 column articles in Oriental Daily over the past 4 years, focused on, as the title suggests, the emergence of China as a global political and economic force. In part one of the conversation, we focus on: The key features of a unipolar US-led world orderWhat shifting towards a multipolar world meansHow China went from a poor country to the second largest economyPopular misconceptions of ChinaWhat does democracy mean in China?Significance of Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney’s speech at DavosImage Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jeffrey Epstein was a financier and convicted sex offender whose network spanned the worlds of finance, politics, academia, and celebrity. Recently, the U.S. Department of Justice released what is now known as the Epstein Files. There are over 3 million pages, 2,000+ videos, and 180,000+ images, so far, including flight logs, emails, court filings, and internal notes detailing his activities and connections. Two rounds of document releases have so far painted an incredibly repulsive picture of sexual exploitation, trafficking, and elite complicity. Some of the highlights include: US President Donald Trump, who is mentioned in over 38,000 references, with the most serious allegation being a withdrawn 2016 federal lawsuit accusing him of raping a 13-year-old girl at Epstein’s Manhattan residence.Silicon Valley billionaires, including Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page, and others, appearing hundreds of times. There are also emails and exchanges suggesting an international political network involving countries such as Israel, India, and Russia. All of this is merely scratching the surface of the Epstein files. To try and make sense of it all, we speak to Peter Beattie, Political Economist and Political Psychologist from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). Image Credit: Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, 1993 via PicrylSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We often discuss the exploitation of labour, especially at the very bottom of the chain, namely the migrant workers who are frequently trapped in conditions that resemble modern-day slavery. But one thing we haven’t really interrogated is the role of business schools: what they teach, what they leave out, and whether the lessons and curriculum deal primarily with managing a boardroom and ensuring profitability, or if they reflect realities on the ground, where wealth and corporate success are often also built on the backs of exploited labour. In this episode, we speak to Dr Priya Sharma about exactly that. She is the Head of the Commercial Law & Justice Centre at the Sunway Business School. She’s also the co-editor of a book called Combating Modern Slavery: A Global Perspective.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recently, Bloomberg published an in-depth investigation into the recruitment of Bangladeshi migrant workers into Malaysia, exposing how inflated fees, cartel-like recruitment structures and political protection have trapped thousands of workers in debt, exploitation and, in some cases, human trafficking. The article explicitly names individuals linked to these cartels. We speak to Charles Santiago, co-chair of ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR), who was quoted in the article. Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most of us know that elections are important. After all, they shape who governs us and how decisions get made. But we rarely stop to think about what actually happens behind the scenes: the hundreds, sometimes thousands of workers and volunteers who make sure polling day runs smoothly, especially polling staff on the ground. In this episode, we speak to Danesh Prakash Chacko, Chairperson of Persatuan Bertindak Pilihan Raya Bebas Dan Saksama (Tindak), about exactly that. Tindak is currently running a petugas programme that trains and mobilises citizens to serve as polling and counting agents. Click here if you’d like to sign up for Tindak’s Petugas program: https://sites.google.com/view/petugas-tindak-malaysia/homeImage Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia is incredibly polarised right now, especially across racial and religious lines. Perhaps that has always been the case to some degree, given the ethnocentric political parties and culture that have dominated a bulk of our history since independence and especially so post 1969. Things seem to be getting worse. You often get the sense that every community feels that they’re marginalised or that they don’t have a place in this country, or maybe that’s just the social media comment section. Of course, there’s no silver bullet to solving this. In this episode, we speak to Jason Wee, the founder of Architects of Diversity. We talk about some of the drivers of our racialised politics, if things are indeed getting worse and even the role of social media.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Three things we often hear about Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley at large is that it’s incredibly congested, not walkable and that it is becoming increasingly unaffordable. But why do these problems persist? We speak to Aziff Azuddin, associate researcher at IMAN Research, about the greater Klang Valley’s urban design philosophy and key principles on building an equitable and inclusive city. Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been a turbulent start to 2026. To kick off the year, the United States kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Just days later, some of the biggest protests in Iran in decades erupted and continue to unfold. Some leaders, particularly in the West, have framed the unrest from the perspective of human rights and are calling for intervention, while others advise caution and warn against meddling in the business of sovereign nations.  All of this is unfolding on top of the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the protracted war between Russia and Ukraine, and many other unfolding crises that continue to shape global politics and public imagination. How do we make sense of this convergence of crises?What does it mean for the future of global order? My guest on today’s show is Vijay Prashad. Vijay is a historian, journalist, and public intellectual. He’s one of the most important thinkers in the world when it comes to geopolitics and understanding power. He’s written numerous books, including Washington Bullets: A History of the CIA, Coups, and Assassinations, On Cuba, and The Darker Nations: A People’s History of the Third World. And he’s the director of the Tricontinental Institute For Social Research.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You are probably already familiar with Teach For Malaysia, the education nonprofit that does incredible work by placing committed young leaders in under-resourced schools and developing them into long-term advocates for educational equity. It is one of, if not the most important, education nonprofits in the country. What many may not realise is that Teach For Malaysia is part of a global network called Teach For All, which traces its roots back to the late 80s. In 1989, Wendy Kopp founded Teach For America while still a university student herself. She later co-founded Teach For All, which has grown from strength to strength, expanding its wings across the globe. In this episode, we speak to Wendy Kopp about Teach For All’s origin story, the challenges they face, understanding global education inequities, and more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lim Yi Wei is the ADUN for Kampung Tunku and DAP Wanita national assistant publicity secretary. Yi Wei, whose parents were both teachers in public schools, is a social democrat at heart and believes in building a fairer and more equitable Malaysia for all.Recently, she penned an article titled "What Next for DAP," where she argued that the party’s social democratic roots have increasingly been overtaken by neoliberal thinking, and called for a clearer, values-driven return to politics centered on justice, equity, and the common good.In this episode, we talk to her about her personal journey in politics, the importance of social democracy, the limits of neoliberalism, and the future of the DAP.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are all part of a system – a global capitalist neoliberal economy – that is geared towards profit maximisation over creating a fair and dignified world for everybody. Even the environment is seen as a commodity to be extracted and destroyed for profit. Technology is so advanced and we have created tremendous amounts of wealth, yet most people across the world do not earn enough to afford basic necessities. The rich are getting richer, the poor are getting poorer, and our nature is depleted further and further. Today, many young people struggle with stagnant wages, unaffordable housing, and healthcare. In his new book titled Notes on the Way Forward: A Socialist Perspective, Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj, who’s also the chairperson of Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), takes a sharp look at the structural failures of capitalism and the alternatives before us.On today’s show, we speak with Dr. Kumar about how we can build a better, more sustainable, and dignified Malaysia for everyone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Where is Europe heading? This is one of the big questions as we shift towards a more fractured and multipolar world order. Europe is in a moment of deep political and ideological reckoning. After all, we’re seeing the rise of right-wing movements, anti-immigration sentiments, a yearning by some quarters to “go back” to a less multicultural imagined past. In this episode, we have a conversation with Nikita Dhawan, who holds the chair in Political Theory and History of Ideas at the Technical University Dresden. Her research and teaching focus on global justice, human rights, democracy, and decolonization. She is the author of many books, including Rescuing the Enlightenment from the Europeans: Critical Theories of Decolonization. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.