Consider This

As production capacity and global demand drops for many goods and services, what has the Covid-19 pandemic revealed about the international economic system?  Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Datuk Dr Rajah Rasiah, Distinguished Professor of Economics, Asia-Europe Institute, University Malaya.

US President has been heavily criticised for halting funding for the World Health Organization. In response the Gates Foundation said it would spend an additional 150 million dollars on COVID treatment and vaccine research -- raising its total commitment to 250 million. Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan look at some international stories related to the ongoing COVID19 pandemic.

The shift to home-based learning will no doubt have longer-term consequences - especially for the most vulnerable and marginalised. How will the Ministry of Education address the issues related to access and student-teacher preparedness? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Dr Azwan Abd Aziz, Deputy Director (Content Development Sector) for Educational Resource and Technology Division, Ministry of Education.

The closure of schools due to COVID-19 has affected millions students nationwide. But school closures don’t affect every child the same way. The shift to home-based learning has only served to highlight the very real digital divide - firstly for students with no devices, and secondly, those with limited internet access. Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim, Chairperson of the Parent Action Group for Education Malaysia (PAGE).

Defense Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, today announced that 13 prisons academies nationwide will be used as detention centres for violators of the MCO to avoid over-crowding in ordinary prisons. But will this create it own problems?  Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan look at the top news of the day.

There are 20 Public Higher Education Institutions in Malaysia, and 447 privately-owned ones. Are we likely to see this number shrink - either through consolidation or closure of those without the financial wherewithal to survive the pandemic? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Najmie Noordin, Chief Operating Officer, Cosmopoint Sdn Bhd.

What are the conversations that are currently being had globally, about the challenges that this pandemic is posing for universities and other institutions of higher learning? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Thomas Barker, Associate Professor at the School of Media Languages and Cultures, University of Nottingham Malaysia.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah today revealed that Malaysia only has 19 days’ supply left of some PPE items -- or Personal Protective Equipment used by medical front-liners. He provided a breakdown of when various PPE items could run out. How can this situation be address in a more systematic way? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan look at the top stories of the day.

Today, the 10 leaders of ASEAN countries had a video conference to discuss the bloc’s coordinated action against the COVID-19 pandemic. How will ASEAN collectively deal with this new transnational challenge? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to HE Yuyun Wahyuningrum, Indonesia’s Representative to the ASEAN Inter-governmental Commission on Human Rights.

SHAPE-SEA had organised a webinar with Forum-Asia yesterday, regarding the status of human rights in Southeast Asia during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the observations shared was that many countries in ASEAN are still treating the pandemic as a security issue.  Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to webinar organiser Joel Mark Baysa-Barredo, programme manager for SHAPE-SEA (Strengthening Human Rights and Peace Research and Education in Southeast Asia programme).