Beyond the Ballot Box

There’s been a lot of talk lately about PTPTN’s ballooning debt and what to do about it. With a total outstanding debt of RM 40 billion, pressure is mounting on the government to act decisively. The instinctual reactions tend to focus on the defaulters, with many calling for harsh penalties like fines or travel bans. I mean, it’s only natural to think “you borrow, you pay back!” 

But are we missing something here – something more fundamental and structural? 

We speak to Geoffrey Williams, Economist & Founder of Williams Business Consultancy.

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Kanni Wignaraja is the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with over 25 years of experience in Sustainable Development. She has worked across Africa, Asia and is a prominent advocate for inclusive and people-centered development in the Asia-Pacific region.

In this episode, we talk to her about Malaysia’s economic and political trajectory over the past several decades, within broader ASEAN and global dynamics. As well as the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead for the country as we transition towards a high-income nation.

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The Ayer Kuning by-election will be taking place on the 26th of April and it is going to be a three-cornered fight between MADANI/Barisan Nasional’s Mohamad Yusri Bakir, Perikatan Nasional’s Abdul Muhaimin Malek and Parti Sosialis Malaysia’s Bawani Kaniapan (Bawani KS). The election for one out of the 59 state seats in Perak is taking place due to the passing of incumbent Ishsam Shahruddin of Barisan Nasional. 

The move by PSM to contest this election has been equally welcomed and criticised. Some mock them for being a party that regularly loses their deposit at the ballot box, while others say they have a pivotal role to play in elevating the class consciousness of the nation. 

In this episode, we speak to Bawani about what she can offer to the people of Ayer Kuning. 

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Basic Income – or Universal Basic Income (UBI) as it’s commonly referred to – is a policy where a government gives all citizens a regular sum of money periodically (i.e. every month), regardless of their employment status or income level. 

You might think to yourself that this is idealistic and utopian, wondering if it’s even feasible or necessary. 

In this episode, we speak to Guy Standing, a British economist and one of the world’s leading voices in advocating for Basic Income. He is a professor of development studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, and a co-founder of the Basic Income Earth Network (BIEN). 

The Basic Income Earth Network will be down in KL for an upcoming workshop & Conference called: Universal Basic Income in Malaysia: Insights and Possibilities. Click here if you are interested to find out more or register for the event.

Image Credit: Guy Standing

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Basic Income – or Universal Basic Income (UBI) as it’s commonly referred to – is a policy where a government gives all citizens a regular sum of money periodically (i.e. every month), regardless of their employment status or income level. 

You might think to yourself that this is idealistic and utopian, wondering if it’s even feasible or necessary. 

In this episode, we speak to Guy Standing, a British economist and one of the world’s leading voices in advocating for Basic Income. He is a professor of development studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, and a co-founder of the Basic Income Earth Network (BIEN). 

The Basic Income Earth Network will be down in KL for an upcoming workshop & Conference called: Universal Basic Income in Malaysia: Insights and Possibilities.Click here if you are interested to find out more or register for the event.

Image Credit: Guy Standing

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the past several decades, most of the world has been part of the neoliberal economic model. It burst onto the mainstream with Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan in the late 70s and 80s but gained even more prominence after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the emergence of the United States of America as the global hegemon. This era was underpinned by the free flow of capital across borders, low tariffs and the financialisation of the economy. 

But last week something changed when US President Donald Trump declared “Liberation Day” and hit every state with a slew of tariffs. Markets around the world reacted with shock and economists and diplomats from all corners of the globe are working overtime. 

So what does this all mean for neoliberalism? 

We speak to Professor Jomo Kwame Sundaram. He’s a prominent academic, economist and public intellectual known for his extensive work in development economics and social justice.

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Last week, the world watched as U.S. President Donald Trump made headlines once again — this time by declaring “Liberation Day.” But instead of fireworks and parades, he brought out a sweeping new tariff regime. At the heart of it? A universal 10% tariff that spares no one — not even a remote, uninhabited territory like Heard Island and McDonald Islands, best known for its penguins.

Beyond the universal tariff, Trump also unveiled “reciprocal tariffs” — targeted duties that vary by country. China faces a crushing 54%, Vietnam 46%, Thailand 26%, and Malaysia 24%, among many others. Even supposed allies like the European Union received a 20% tariff.

But what do these numbers mean, exactly? How will they impact Malaysia and ASEAN? 

To help us make sense of it all, we’re joined by Yin Shao Loong, Deputy Director of Research at the Khazanah Research Institute. He breaks down the "logic" (or lack thereof) behind Trump’s tariff policy, the impact it could have on the region, and how Malaysia should navigate the storm.

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It is no secret that Malaysia is a highly racialised country. Over the past decade, racial discrimination has not only persisted but evolved in new and complex ways. But are things getting better or worse? More importantly, are we getting better at understanding racism beyond simplistic framings of majority vs. minority?

Pusat KOMAS recently released Malaysia Racism Report: A Decade in Review. Basically, it’s a deep dive into how racism has shaped policies, institutions, and everyday life over the last ten years—covering everything from hiring discrimination to political narratives and even racism in private businesses.

We unpack the report with Jerald Joseph who’s the director of Pusat KOMAS. 

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We're increasingly seeing the Uberization of the economy, where platform-driven gig work with wages based on algorithms, and precarious labor conditions have become the norm. Look around and you’ll see many young Malaysians as e-hailing drivers and food delivery riders. But people aren’t just doing this as part-time gigs in between jobs or while waiting for college to start – it is the primary source of income for many, including some who have Bachelor’s Degrees. Also, think about your consumer patterns. How often did you order takeout via a delivery app before the pandemic? How often do you do it now?

But why is this happening? What exactly is the impact of this phenomenon? 

In this episode, we’re joined by Jeremy Lim who’s doing his PHD at University of Malaya, the editor of Jentayu and a Senior Data Analyst at the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (Asia Office). He recently wrote an article for the New Mandala titled Malaysia can do better than “platform capitalism.”

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Over the years, especially since the 1MDB scandal, Malaysians have become more familiar with the term ‘corruption.’ Not only have we broadened our understanding of it (no longer do we think it’s just about bribery), it has also become part of mainstream political discourse. 

Malaysians know that our country has an entrenched problem of corruption and that it is holding us back, eating us from the inside and eroding our trust in the system.

But just how deep is the rot? How does it manifest in ways beyond the obvious headlines of high-profile arrests? Why is it so challenging to reform the system? 

In this episode, we’re joined by Edmund Terence Gomez, author of an insightful book titled Misgovernance: Grand Corruption in Malaysia. It offers an in-depth examination of the perverse entanglement of politics and business in Malaysia through something called the “Political-GLC Complex.” Unlike broad critiques that dismiss GLCs outright, Gomez looks at the intricate ways in which they are run in Malaysia and how specific policies and practices have turned an idea with egalitarian objectives into a vehicle for power and patronage.

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