Beyond the Ballot Box

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: Shutterstock

See 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 Facebook

See 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: Shutterstock

See 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/kHnxhmnR2t

Image Credit: Shutterstock

See 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: Shutterstock

See 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: Shutterstock

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.