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Malaysians read on an almost daily basis how some country or the other has begun their vaccination programme -- Singapore, Indonesia and Myanmar, just to name some regional peers. Are we behind? And if so, is there a good reason why we should not be worried? In fact the World Health Organisation has urged governments to take time to plan their roll-out. Is this what we are looking at? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Dr Musa Nordin, Consultant Paediatrician at KPJ Damansara Specialist Hospital and life member of the Malaysian Paediatric Association, which is a founding member of the Immunise-For-Life initiative.

Yesterday the government announced that not only was it extending the Movement Control Order and that it would also seek to impose stricter SOPs. However no details were announced regarding the move to tighten SOPs. In this information vacuum, a coalition of more than 40 trade, business and professional associations has urged the government to lift the second MCO -- saying it would kill businesses and leave many jobless. Are we getting the balance between saving lives and saving livelihoods, right? 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.

Yesterday the government announced that not only was it extending the Movement Control Order and that it would also seek to impose stricter SOPs. However, no details were announced regarding the move to tighten SOPs. This comes after mixed messages from government officials on the extension as well as a warning from public health experts that lockdowns at this point in the crisis will not be effective. Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Professor Datuk Dr Syed Mohamed Aljunid Syed Junid, Founding Professor and Chair of Health Policy & Management at the Faculty of Public Health of Kuwait University.

In the recently released Corruption Perceptions Index 2020 by Transparency International, Malaysia's rank in the index fell to 57th position out of 180 countries. This was from 51st place in 2019. What accounts from this drop and how can this reversal in the fight against corruption be arrested?  Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Muhammad Mohan, President, Transparency International Malaysia.

With the Reform Agenda halted early 2020 and Emergency Rule imposed at the start of 2021, is there much hope for improved governance in the country in the foreseeable future? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Cynthia Gabriel, Executive Director, Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism.

From 1 June 2020 enforcement of the Corporate Liability (Section 17A) provision of the MACC Act means that businesses in Malaysia must shoulder the burden of proof that they have put in place "5-principle Guidelines on Adequate Procedures (GAP)" to prevent bribery and treat potential corruption risks within its business. But will they?  Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to KM Loi, President, Association of Anti-Bribery Management Systems Practitioners Malaysia.

Earlier this morning Myanmar's military announced a State of Emergency for one year -- with all legislative, executive and judicial powers transferred to the top army commander.  Myanmar's Parliament was supposed to convene today -- ushering in the incumbent National League for Democracy into its second term. The November General Election saw a landslide win for it but also significant losses for the military-backed Union Solidarity & Development Party (USDP). While elections authorities and international observers agreed that the elections were free and fair, the Army and some ethnic minority parties have claimed fraud. But is this sufficient justification for the coup? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Charles Santiago, MP for Klang and  Chai, ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights.

The coup by the Myanmar military places the country in a State of Emergency for one year -- with all legislative, executive and judicial powers transferred to the top army commander. At the center of this move is top army commander General Min Aung Hlaing, who was due to step down in July this year. Is this move simply the outcome of one man’s ambition to remain in power? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Bridget Welsh, Asia Research Institute, University of Nottingham Malaysia.

China has responded to the coup -- saying that it hopes all sides in Myanmar can work out their differences within the constitutional and legal framework. Speculation is rife that China approves of this coup. Is that an adequate understanding of China’s role in this crisis?  Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Roy Anthony Rogers, Department of International and Strategic Studies, Universiti Malaya.

Earlier this week, the Court of Appeal quashed a Development Order by DBKL to develop Taman Rimba Kiara in Taman Tun Dr Ismail. TTDI residents had protested for more than 5 years against the proposed development, in which several blocks of high-end apartments had been approved by DBKL. Community action and legal activism led to this victory but is this the end of the journey? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Hannah Yeoh, MP of Segambut.