Consider This

With the coup, have we returned to a time before the democratic opening of Myanmar -- and can the role that ASEAN played then be reprised now? Or have conditions changed so fundamentally that ASEAN needs a new playbook? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Michael Vatikiotis, Asia Director, Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, which is a private diplomacy organisation. He is the author of ‘Blood and Silk: Power and Conflict in Modern SE Asia’.

Tomorrow ASEAN leaders will hold a special summit to try to persuade Myanmar's junta to end the violence in the country and let in aid. The meeting is the first concerted regional effort to ease the political crisis.Will ASEAN be able to successfully navigate the Myanmar crisis? And if it fails, will it be able to maintain its centrality in issues of regional security? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to His Excellency Eric Paulsen, Representative of Malaysia to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights.

Should the National Unity Government have been invited to the Asean Leaders Meeting? What do you think democratic forces and the Myanmar public -- most of whom voted for the ousted NLD government -- would want from ASEAN, and more specially tomorrow’s summit? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Debbie Stotdard, Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma.

The Global Environment Centre’s Earth Day statement notes that Malaysia has to give up “the conventional development trajectory of "grow first, clean up later" and instead embrace sustainability as a core principle in development. But who is listening to this message? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Faizal Parish, Director, Global Environment Centre.

Today we celebrate Earth Day on a sombre note after a devastating year with the global Covid-19 pandemic.The theme this year is "Restore Our Earth" and focuses on, among others, emerging green technologies and innovative thinking.But will we get the game-changing commitments and technological breakthroughs that will put us on route to restoring the planet's ecosystem? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Meena Raman, President, Sahabat Alam Malaysia.

How do we untangle questions of land ownership, building ownership and management and land use issues that underscore the Convent Bukit Nanas story? And should we be reassured that the precinct in which the schools sit remains zoned for education under the KL City Plan for the next 20 years? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Cultural Heritage Consultant, Elizabeth Cardosa. 

News that Convent Bukit Nanas has not been granted its land lease extension by the Federal Territories’ Land Office, was met with public backlash these past few days. Despite assurances by the government that the 120-year-old girls' school will not be demolished once its lease expires, will Convent Bukit Nanas be preserved for posterity? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Tengku Nurul Azian Shahriman, past president, Convent Bukit Nanas Alumni.

It was reported today that Day Two of the second phase of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme in Sibu had to be postponed due to a lack of vaccines. While Day One reportedly went according to plan, with over 1,000 people receiving vaccines. So what went wrong? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Dr Mohammad Farhan Rusli, Assistant Professor of Health Policy, Economics & Finance, International Islamic University Malaysia and Director, Selangor Task Force Operations (Covid-19).

Public health policymakers are not only dealing with the daily rising Covid-19 cases but also an evolving SARS-Cov2 pathogen & supply bottlenecks from vaccine nationalism. How do we negotiate the challenges coming on multiple fronts? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Professor Sibrandes Poppema, President of Sunway University & Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah Distinguished Professor.