Beyond the Ballot Box

Imagine a parent walking down the street with their 7-year-old child. They walk past a cleaner sweeping the road or perhaps it's someone cutting grass. The parent tells the kid, don't be lazy otherwise you will end up like that cleaner. There is a perception that the poor are poor and remain poor because they are lazy. That persistent poverty can be attributed to personal behaviour.

Political psychologist and political economist at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Assistant Professor Peter Beattie joins us today to debunk the myths and dive deep into the misconceptions behind this stereotype.

Image credit: Shutterstock

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It's been 79 years today since the US dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, a moment that forever changed the course of history. This event has impacted people's perception towards nuclear energy, especially in terms of policy making over the past several decades. We will be delving into the anniversary's significance, the impact on Japanese and Malaysian victims, and current reflections. Joining us on the show today to discuss this is Aaron Denison, a doctoral candidate at Hiroshima University.

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 Sivaranjani Manickam has been elected the new secretary-general of Parti Sosialis Malaysia at its 26th national congress, which took place at the end of July. Sivaranjani who was formerly the Workers’ Bureau Coordinator of the party takes the reigns from Sivarajan Arumugam, who was the sec-gen for 9 years. She’s been an activist for more than 20 years, been a member of PSM for almost as long and has also worked for UNHCR. 

We speak to Sivaranjani about activism and building left movements. 

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On the 23rd of July, 12 Palestinian factions including Hamas and the PLO (led by Fatah) signed a “national unity” agreement. The agreement was signed in China and according to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the deal was struck after three days of intensive talks and negotiations, laying the foundation for an “interim national reconciliation government.” 

But why did this deal need to be struck in the first place? And what does it mean for the future of Palestine?

We speak to Muslim Imran, Founding Director, Asia Middle East Center for Research & Dialogue (AMEC). 

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James C. Scott, a prominent American political scientist and anthropologist passed away at 87, on the 19th of July 2024. Scott was known for his work on how the working class and marginalized resist and evade domination by powerful groups, be it the ultra wealthy or the state. 

Scott is best known for his book 1985 ‘Weapons of the Weak: Everyday Forms of Peasant Resistance’ where he studied seventy families in a Malaysian village. Some of his other important books include ‘Seeing Like a State’ and ‘The Moral Economy of the Peasant.’

In this episode, we reflect on James C. Scott’s seminal works with Meredith Weiss, Professor of Political Science, University of Albany and Ooi Kok Hin, Political Sociologist. 

Photograph courtesy of James C. Scott via The Regents of the University of California, 2017

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The hiring of migrant domestic workers has for many decades been one of the important options for a segment of Malaysian households to help with care responsibilities at home. At times, the hiring of migrant domestic workers creates an enabling environment for both parents to go to work. 

However, the industry is often plagued by corruption, unethical practices, and even human trafficking. There’s also the lack of appreciation and mistreatment of domestic workers. 

These are exactly the issues that Pinkcollar has been addressing over the past 5 years. Pinkcollar is an ethical recruitment agency for migrant domestic workers in Malaysia. 

Joining me on the show to reflect on the past 5 years are the co-founders of Pinkcollar, Zenna Law and Sophia Jamal. 

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CounterArchive: Fictional Healing is a project co-curated by Ong Jo-Lene and Rebecca Yeoh, and involves activating British archival materials from the Malayan Emergency.

In light of that project, we will be exploring some of its themes across a few episodes.

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National identity and memory are crucial elements of a nation's cultural fabric, reflecting its collective experiences and values. So, what does this mean for nations which were former colonies of empires, such as Malaysia? How does colonialism and periods like the Malayan Emergency continue to shape how we view ourselves in relation to each other and our country?

In this episode, we speak to Dr Jessica Rapson, from King’s College London. She’s an expert in Cultural Memory and National Identity, as well as, Dr Sarena Abdullah, Art Historian, University Sains Malaysia.

CounterArchive: Fictional Healing is a collaboration between the Department of Anthropology and Sociology, Universiti Malaya and Malaysia Design Archive, and is funded by the British Council.

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There is a revolution ongoing in Myanmar. But where do the ethnic minority Rohingyas fit into this picture? After all, the Rohingya people have been subject to oppression, dispossession and genocide for decades, even before the recent coup.

Also, Malaysia will be taking up the role of chair of ASEAN from 2025. So, what can we do to push for peace and justice for the Rohingya community?

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Malaysia is polarised. Far-right, ultra-conservative majoritarian movements are gaining traction. This is reflected in the election results of GE15 but we’d be wrong to think that this is just about PAS or one political party. We’re talking about a movement that is rapidly capturing the imagination of young Malays, reshaping how they view themselves in relation to others and this nation.

A period like this requires an antidote in the form of a clear alternative vision for Malaysia – A progressive vision that can capture the hearts and minds of Malaysians. Is the MADANI concept that vision? 

In a recent column on The Star titled ‘Nostalgia knot’, Aziff Azuddin argued that 2 years in and the MADANI concept still remains unclear to many Malaysians and that Malay youths, in particular, feel disconnected from it. 

Aziff joins us in this episode for a conversation. 

Image Credit: Cik Bak via Shutterstock

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It was a historic defeat for the Conservative Tory Party, led by Rishi Sunak at the 2024 UK General Election, losing more than half the seats they previously held. The Conservatives have been in power for 14 years. 

In that same vein, the Labour Party led by Sir Kier Starmer saw a massive victory, winning 412 of the 650 seats available. 

Separately, the second round of the French Legislative Elections saw the Left-wing coalition New Popular Front led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon defeat both the Far-Right led by Marine Le Pen and the neoliberal technocrats led by Emmanuel Macron.

We unpack the results with Katy Brown, Postdoctoral Fellow, Maynooth University. Katy focuses on politics in the UK and Europe. 

Image Credits:

Sir Kier Starmer - Sean Aidan Calderbank via Shutterstock

Jean-Luc Mélenchon - Gerard Bottino via Shutterstock

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