General

With the general elections looming, post GE-15 will see the fourth Youth & Sports minister in a little over five years. Long-term policies and consistent plans are ideal, however not always the case where incoming ministers come with new ideas, often derailing the plans of their predecessors. This week on the programme, we explore the role of a Youth & Sports minister and the different nuances that come with the post - should the sports minister be an ex-athlete? Should youth and sport - though overlapping in certain aspects, be separate entities? Sports lawyer & member of the panel of experts at KBS, Richard Wee joins us this week.

Located in the heart of Chinatown, Riwayat is the latest independent bookstore to open its doors in Kuala Lumpur. We catch up with one of its founders, Engku Roestam Alias, on what we can expect from the store, and what they hope to contribute to the Malaysian culture scene. We close off the conversation with a discussion on the different experiences offered by independent bookshops versus big chains. 

Thirty years after its release, Bram Stoker's Dracula still seems to have very few contenders when it comes to matching its adaptation of the original bloodsucking creature of the night. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Gary Oldman, Anthony Hopkins, Winona Ryder, and Keanu Reeves, the movie was packed with prestige, and attracted both praises for its gothic horror vibe and criticism for its excesses. We revisit the film and see if it still has bite.  

It's a question for the ages - are political parties actually the pathways to forge real change, or are they just ways for politicians to seek and consolidate power, and keep others in check? In this episode of Existential Questions, we try to unpack that.

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We go through the responses from people following a flurry of UMNO updates, including rumours of party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi positioning himself as the BN candidate for PM.

Image source: Shahjehan, Shutterstock

中国「清零政策」关口紧咬，郑州疫情的蔓延进而导致当地的富士康苹果代工厂受牵连。由于在厂区内出现确诊病例，当局下令实施闭环封锁，让数万雇员被迫滞留厂内宿舍。逼仄的住宿环境，加之药物与粮食短缺，最终让工人们忍无可忍，闯出防疫封锁区、徒步返乡。

路透社报导：碍于郑州富士康厂区爆发感染，苹果智能手机在 11 月份的出货量或锐减三成之多。鸿海集团旗下的富士康，随即声明：将协调其他园区备援，以免负面效应蔓延。不过，中央严苛的防疫政策，真的能让制造及上产大厂在铁腕下幸免于难吗？

We speak to a criminal lawyer about the raid that happened at Shagrilla, a Halloween party that was at REXKL over the weekend.

Image source: Numan Afifi, Twitter

When someone is diagnosed with diabetes, diet becomes a big question mark. What is the right diabetes diet? Is it true that rice and desserts go out the window forever? Poh Kai Ling, clinical dietitian from Universiti Malaya Medical Centre, addresses some of the biggest misconceptions about diet for people with diabetes, and how eating right could help them prevent a range of problems, from blindness and amputation, to kidney and heart disease. 

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Many young people are feeling political apathy, not just in Malaysia, but across the globe, as well. But why is this happening and what can be done about it? We speak to Peter Beattie, who’s an expert in political psychology.

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Kota Kinabalu is most well-known as the gateway to Kinabalu National Park, especially for those who want to climb up Mount Kinabalu. But how often do we look at it and appreciate it as the capital city of Sabah? How do we ensure as the city continues to grow and urbanise, it is one that is inclusive and accessible to all? On the show with me to discuss this today is Rashidah Kamaluddin, Founder and Managing Director of KotaKita. 

Image Credit: Facebook/KotaKita