Consider This

Six peninsular states will head to the polls on August 12th, as a total of 245 assembly seats will be contested in Kedah, Penang, Kelantan, Terengganu, Negeri Sembilan and Selangor. What is at stake for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his Unity Government? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to James Chin, Professor of Asian Studies at University of Tasmania in Australia.

Recently the issue of unpaid internships came to the fore, after backlash that the practice exploits young workers and discriminates against those who lack the financial means to support themselves without pay. The Prime Minister weighed in, saying that while there’s no need for government policy on the matter, he urged companies to consider giving a “reasonable allowance” to interns. On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Zaim Mohzani, SimraatRaj Kaur Dhillon and Nurul Rifayah Muhammad Iqbal.

The controversial Independent Police Conduct Commission Act, which deals with complaints about police misconduct, came into force on July 1st. This despite civil society continuously raising concern over the limitations of the IPCC, the lack of investigative powers, and most importantly, disciplinary powers. On this episode on #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Dr Lin Mui Kiang of PROHAM and Datuk Seri M. Ramachelvam of HAKAM.

In the recently concluded 2023 ASEAN Para Games in Cambodia, Malaysian para-athletes won 50 gold medals, 38 silver, and 34 bronze, bringing Malaysia to finish fourth among the 11 countries who took part. Despite securing an impressive medal tally, it remains evident that there is a lack of public awareness for para-sports. How do we move towards equal recognition and support for para-athletes in Malaysia? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to First Admiral Datuk Subramaniam Raman Nair (R), Secretary-General of the Paralympic Council Malaysia.
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Social media can serve as an avenue for empowerment but also has the capacity to deepen exclusion of already marginalised groups. How can we ensure online spaces are safe and equitable for all? Tonight on #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to researchers Vilashini Somiah and Benjamin YH Loh.

Is Malaysia doing enough in terms of identifying and incubating sports talent to ensure a thriving athlete pipeline? On this episode of #ConsiderThis, Melisa Idris speaks to Datuk Dr Ramlan Aziz and Sarina Sundara Rajah.

To commemorate World Refugee Day 2023, tonight on the show we shine a spotlight on a fundamental aspect of refugee rights—the right to work and secure meaningful employment. What are the considerations and concerns of policymakers when it comes to the question of granting refugees permission to work in Malaysia? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Tham Hui Ying, the Executive Director of Asylum Access Malaysia, and human rights consultant and researcher, Tashny Sukumaran.

On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris looks into political financing laws, and why public funding is a crucial part of the legislation. She speaks to Aira Azhari, Senior Manager of the Democracy & Governance Unit at the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS), and Dr Fernando Casal Bértoa, Associate Professor at the School of Politics and International Relations, University of Nottingham UK.

What are the social, economic, and cultural consequences that arise from urbanisation? Is it possible for modern cities to reconcile progress, gentrification, and resilience? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Hyun Bang Shin, Professor of Geography and Urban Studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science in the UK. He is also Director of the LSE’s Saw Swee Hock Southeast Asia Centre.

Recently PM Anwar Ibrahim suggested that school students be taught to clean toilets  to build character and instil values of cleanliness and respect for others. At the heart of the matter is the issue of toilet etiquette: What do we model to children at home, and should this be a policy issue for the Ministry of Education? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Datuk Dr Mohamad Ali Hassan, Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim, and Jack Sim.