Consider This

On November 23rd, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission froze 41 bank accounts with over RM15 million registered under the NGO Aman Palestin following allegations of misappropriation of funds. This has raised pressing concerns about the oversight and management of charitable funds in the nation. On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Raymon Ram of Transparency International Malaysia and Dr James Nayagam of the Suriana Welfare Society.

International Testing Week was launched by Coalition PLUS to encourage increased testing efforts for HIV, Hepatitis, and STIs, as well as to promote awareness of the benefits of earlier testing and its linkage to care. As we mark World AIDS Day on December 1st, how can increased testing efforts contribute to Malaysia’s goal of eliminating the HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2030? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Professor Dr Mehdi Karkouri, President of Coalition PLUS, and Dr Raja Iskandar Shah Raja Azwa Shah, President of the Malaysian AIDS Council.

Reducing methane emissions is a critical aspect of climate action and must go hand-in-hand with decarbonising our energy systems if we want to limit global warming to 1.5°C. As a signatory to the Global Methane Pledge, what is Malaysia’s responsibility in cutting methane emissions by our oil and gas industry? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Dr Shareen Yawanarajah, Director of Global Energy Transition at the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), a global nonprofit driving scientific efforts to focus the world’s attention on the importance of reducing methane emissions.

Friday the 24th of November marks exactly one year since Anwar Ibrahim was sworn in as Malaysia’s 10th Prime Minister. What have been the strengths and weaknesses of his stewardship so far? And what benchmarks should we use to evaluate his effectiveness within the first year of governance? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to political analyst Dr Bridget Welsh and Anil Netto of Aliran.

The urgent issue of abuse experienced by Indonesian domestic workers in Malaysia requires prompt and decisive intervention, said the Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia, Datuk Hermono. In view of last year’s MoU on the recruitment and protection of Indonesian domestic workers here, what strides have been made and what gaps still persist? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to His Excellency Datuk Hermono, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Malaysia.

Last week, local film "La Luna" captivated audiences and critics with its compelling storytelling and performances. However, despite the rave reviews and word-of-mouth hype, something perplexing occurred by its second week: Only 14 cinemas continued to screen the film, from 92 in its first week. Malaysia has in place Skim Wajib Tayang, which is a policy that grants most local films a guaranteed national cinematic release of 14 days. Is the policy hitting the mark when it comes to boosting local film visibility at cinemas? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Noor Azam Shairi, Deputy Chairperson of FINAS, the central government agency for the local film industry.

As we mark this year’s World Children's Day, which is a day to commemorate the innocence, potential, and rights of every child across the globe—let us keep in mind the children of Gaza. Currently more than 5,000 children in Gaza have been killed by Israeli bombardments, with some 1,800 children missing under the rubble of collapsed buildings—most of them presumed dead. But what about the children who survive this war—what will become of them? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Toby Fricker, UNICEF Spokesperson, and Dr Ahmad Faizal Mohd Perdaus, President of Mercy Malaysia.

The Dewan Rakyat Speaker has suggested publicly naming MPs who are absent during parliament sessions, as a way to curb absenteeism. Which begs the question: Why are MPs absent from parliamentary sessions? And are there deeper issues to do with the way our parliamentary sessions are structured? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Maha Balakrishnan, Parliamentary and Institutional Development Specialist, and Rajiv Rishyakaran
Assemblyperson for Bukit Gasing, Selangor.

As Israel continues its assault on Gaza, there are many Malaysians who are eager to express their solidarity and offer support in meaningful ways, but may be unsure how to practically engage. The question often arises: “What can I do that will truly make a difference?” On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Datuk Seri Ir Dr Kamal Nasharuddin Mustapha from MyCARE, and Professor Dr Mohd Nazari Ismail from BDS Malaysia.

From the halls of Putrajaya to Corporate Malaysia to grassroots initiatives - what does effective climate governance look like? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Dr Gary Theseira, Director and Council Member of Climate Governance Malaysia, an advocacy group working with boardrooms on the climate action agenda. He is also an adjunct faculty member at the Asia School of Business.