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While the campaign to end chronic absenteeism has taken it case to the courts, this is an issue that will require political will as well as a public which demands that no child is sacrificed to protected vested interests.  Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to child rights advocate Sharmila Sekaran, Peninsula Director, Tiada.Guru.

As we celebrate our 63rd year of Independence, cultural organisation PUSAKA is working together with Allianz Malaysia on a project called Bina Bangsa. They want to put our discussion on the history of the country on solid footing.  Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Eddin Khoo, Founder of Pusaka and Zakri Khir, CEO, Allianz Malaysia Berhad.

Are national narrative too Malaya-centric? Have many communities as well as the territories of Sabah and Sarawak been marginalised in our history textbooks? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Eddin Khoo, Founder of Pusaka and Zakri Khir, CEO, Allianz Malaysia Berhad, about the Bina Bangsa history project.

"Efforts at consolidating a national memory will be essential to realising social cohesion," says our guest Eddin Khoo, founder of Pusaka. Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Eddin as well as Zakri Khir, CEO, Allianz Malaysia Berhad about the Bina Bangsa history project.

This morning it was reported that Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was set to announce Perikatan Nasional as an official entity on Merdeka Day. Now we understand that MIC has withdrawn its application to join Perikatan Nasional -- pending a decision from the party’s central working committee. Initially, MIC had agreed to join Perikatan because they were under the impression that Barisan Nasional would also be joining the pact. The questions have been raised as to the future of the Perikatan Nasional coalition.
Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan bring you the most important conversations of the day.

The debate on the new Independent Police Conduct Commission bill, or the IPCC, has been postponed to the next Dewan Rakyat session. The new IPCC bill replaces the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission bill -- that’s the old IPCMC bill that was tabled by the Pakatan Harapan government last year. Despite the debate being postponed, the new IPCC bill has already attracted criticism from various quarters, that claim this new version has been significantly watered-down compared to the previous iteration. Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Ding Jo-Ann, Advisor, Centre for Independent Journalism who participated in stakeholder meetings for the IPCMC consultative process.

The Perikatan Nasional government had already said back in March that it had planned to recall the IPCMC Bill, so we knew it’s withdrawal was coming, and its replacement is the IPCC Bill. Bi-partisan consultations did take place during the Pakatan Harapan Administration but did any of the compromises make it into the Bill tabled yesterday. Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Maria Chin Abdullah, PKR MP for Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

What did the pandemic revealed about Malaysia's healthcare system and our capacity to manage infectious diseases? And what would be do to "build back better". Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Consultant Infectious Diseases Physician, Datuk Dr Christopher Lee who served as the Health Ministry’s Deputy Director General for Research & Technical Support, and also the National Advisor on Infectious Diseases. He was recently appointed the President of the Malaysian AIDS Council.

Today MCMC minister said he supports the controversial decision to withdraw the PM term-limit bill, despite once calling it crucial for government reform. "I think different government, different administration has a different philosophy. A different way of looking at certain things." Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan bring you the most important conversations of the day.

Like the HIV epidemic, Covid-19 brings to the fore issues around inequality, social justice and systemic racism. We ask what the biggest challenges the fight against HIV/AIDS faces in the next few years. Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Consultant Infectious Diseases Physician, Datuk Dr Christopher Lee who served as the Health Ministry's Deputy Director General for Research & Technical Support, and also the National Advisor on Infectious Diseases. He was recently appointed the President of the Malaysian AIDS Council.