Beyond the Ballot Box

When many of us think of AI, we think of ChatGPT or self-driving cars. But with each passing day, AI is also used more and more in warfare. While proponents of the usage of AI in armed conflict cite operational efficiency, precision, and speed, the reality is often much different. It raises pressing ethical and legal questions including abuse and a lack of accountability. For example, AI has been used to speed up the Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza. We discuss this with Nour Naim, who’s a researcher in AI Ethics and the Executive Director of AI Minds Academy.

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Everything Must Fall is a 2018 documentary film by Rehad Desai, centered on South Africa's #FeesMustFall movement. The film provides a gripping account of the student-led protests that erupted across South African universities in 2015, demanding free, decolonized education and an end to systemic inequalities within higher education institutions.
In this episode, we speak to Rehad Desai about his film and the student-led movement in South Africa. 

Everything Must Fall is one of the documentaries that will be screened at the upcoming film festival called Witness the Unseen, happening at the Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall on the 9th - 12th January 2025. 
For more information, contact Barathi (+60 16-377 9713) or Valter at (+60 11-6357 9375). 

*Update(7/01/2025): As per the organiser, Everything Must Fall will no longer be part of the Witness the Unseen film festival, due to unforeseen circumstances.

Image credits: MUBI, Rehad Desai (via The Left Berlin)

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We live in an increasingly polarised world. Ethnonationalism and other forms of right wing and ultra-conservative populist movements are on the rise in Malaysia and across the world. People are pushing further away from each other. Prejudice fuels political discourse. Why is this happening and what can we do about it?

Dr Tee Chen Giap and Chew Zhun Yee, co-founders of the Malaysian Philosophy Society, join the show to talk about the issue of polarisation as well as the upcoming International Think Big Summit 2024, happening on the 15th of December, where these questions will be addressed.

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Here are two important statistics you need to know. One, only 55% of working age women in Malaysia are part of the labour force, compared to 81% of men. Two, women receive RM 66 for every RM 100 in salaries and wages received by men. 

This highlights profound economic disparities between the genders in Malaysia. But why is this the case? And what can be done about it? 

These are some of the important questions that the Malaysia Women and Girls Forum will be addressing at this year’s event themed Women & Nation Building - The Foundations of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. 

In this episode, we speak to Tengku Aira Tengku Razif, Assistant Representative, UNFPA Malaysia and Tehmina Kaoosji, MWGF Head of Secretariat.

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EMPOWER, in collaboration with civil society coalitions like JAG, BERSIH, and CSO Platform for Reform, has launched the Projek30% campaign to push political parties to field at least 30% women candidates in the next General Election (GE16). 

But why is there a lack of representation among women in politics and what is the impact?

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Ahmed Alnaouq, a Palestinian activist and journalist based in the UK, is the co-founder of We Are Not Numbers, a platform that empowers young Palestinians to share their stories and experiences with the world through storytelling and journalism. 

In October 2023, Israel dropped a bomb on his family home, killing 21 of his closest relatives in the process, including his father, brothers and sisters. 

On today’s episode, we have a heartfelt conversation with Ahmed about his childhood, feeling survivor’s guilt after the death of his family, if the world passed the Gaza litmus test of morality and more.

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Last week, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Defence, Yoav Gallant. They were charged with crimes against humanity, including murder, persecution, and inhumane acts, as well as the war crime of using starvation as a method of warfare. The ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Mohammed Deif, one of the top ranking military commanders of the Palestinian political party and armed resistance group, Hamas. 

But what does all this mean in practice? After all, the genocide in Gaza by Israel is still ongoing and there are still illegal violent settler expansions in the West Bank. And considering Malaysia isn’t a member of the International Criminal Court, can we arrest Benjamin Netanyahu if he sets foot on Malaysian soil?

We unpack this with Dr Jinan Bastaki, Associate Professor of Legal Studies, NYU Abu Dhabi.

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It was recently reported that of the 266 children rescued from GISB Holdings Sdn Bhd (GISBH), a third were found to be suffering from anxiety, and another one-third have depression. The effects of child abuse do not end simply because a child is removed from the abusive situation or perpetrator - there can be long-lasting consequences throughout a child’s life, as well as on the generations after them. We speak to Dr Rajini Sarvananthan, Consultant Developmental Paediatrician, and Dr Anita Codati, Consultant Child Psychiatrist, about what kind of interventions and support are important for survivors of these adverse childhood experiences.

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Dato’ Mohammed Hussein was with the Malayan Banking Berhad (Maybank) Group for 31 years. Prior to his retirement on 30 January 2008, he was the Deputy President/Executive Director/Chief Financial Officer of Maybank Group. 

He wrote a book recently— How Malaysia Missed 7 Chances at Nation-Building. In it, he analyses seven pivotal events in Malaysia’s history, including 13 May 1969 and the implementation of the NEP, and questions if these moments were opportunities missed in building a united and prosperous nation. We unpack the book with Dato’ Mohammed Hussein.

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Media freedom or freedom of the press is something journalists in Malaysia have been grappling with for many decades. For many years, draconian laws have been used to clamp down on journalists and the media. Many have also been arrested. 

While there is no denying that the media has more freedom post-2018 elections and that journalists don’t get arrested as much today as they once did, little has changed in terms of legislation and structure. Draconian laws still exist and can be weaponised. 

Now, advocates for freedom of the press have been pushing for a media council. But what exactly is it, how would it work and what good could come out of it?

We speak to Wathshlah Naidu, Executive Director of the Centre For Independent Journalism (CIJ).

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