General

Can the Federal Reserve engineer a soft landing for the US economy? Are the odds stacked against them especially if consumer spending stops suddenly. Tony Nash, CEO, Complete Intelligence gives us his views.

Over the weekend, badminton history was made as national men's doubles Aaron Chia & Soh Wooi Yik etched their names into sporting folklore by becoming the first ever Malaysian world champions after their exploits at the 2022 BWF Championships in Tokyo. The much-maligned duo silenced their critics - shaking off the so-called 'semi-final' curse - by taking down the experienced Indonesians & 3-time world champions Mohammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan in straight-sets 21-19, 21-14.

With the duo now at the pinnacle of men's doubles badminton, we recount their historic feat and project what this would mean for the future of local badminton.

Photo: EPA

For this month's Book Club, we review 2022 Epigram Books Fiction Prize winner The Accidental Malay, by Karina Robles Bahrin - a novel centred upon Jasmine Leong, the heir apparent of a billion-ringgit bak kwa company, until she discovers that she is a Malay Muslim. We discuss how the book uses a deceptively light touch to explore much heavier themes around religion and freedom of choice in Malaysia, and whether it manages to do so successfully. We close things off with a discussion - and a primer of sorts! - on chick lit. 

After its clever, funny and warm first season, Only Murders in the Building returned with a new murder at its heart, and fresh mysteries to explore in the Arconia and its denizens. We review the sophomore outing of OMitB, and whether Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez continue to delight. 

With Merdeka around the corner, we look at the different ways we show our patriotism. First, we look at the fanfare surrounding Merdeka - the parades, the flags, the fireworks - and the role that it plays in encouraging patriotism. And then, do these ideas resonate with the modern Malaysian?

Image Source: Ink Drop, Shutterstock

We get into a tricky question being asked and debated on Twitter: Do you believe in giving your parents money after you start working?

Image Source: Din Mohd Yaman, Shutterstock

In this Merdeka series, we speak to people who are trying to make our country a better place, and asking them: what are your hopes for Malaysia? This time around, we discuss how to make a difference as a social business. We speak to .bungkus, a project made out of a group of designers, artists and recyclers. on how to make a difference as a social business, that aim to transform soft plastic waste into sustainable lifestyle pieces.

In conjunction with Merdeka and Malaysia Day 2022, Health & Living features healthcare heroes - individuals and organisations on a mission to make healthcare accessible to marginalised communities across Malaysia. Non-profit organisation ROSE Foundation was set up in 2019 with the ambitious goal of making Malaysia one of the first countries in the region to be free of cervical cancer, through its Program ROSE (Removing Obstacles to cervical ScrEening). Having traversed cross-country to screen more than 20,000 women, Prof Dato’ Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman and Prof Dr Woo Yin Ling, Chair and Founder of ROSE Foundation, respectively, join us to share how the program has made cervical cancer screening accessible to women in rural, remote and indigenous communities.

Image credit: Facebook / Program ROSE

8月24日是乌克兰独立31周年纪念日，这一天同时也是俄罗斯入侵乌克兰并展开“特别军事行动” 届满半年。本该是举国欢庆的日子，不料俄罗斯当日再度发动导弹袭击，最终造成数十人死伤惨重的局面。然而，乌俄战争僵持了半年之久，双方的战损与全球粮食和能源危机成为国际持续关注的重点。在拥有压倒性的军事武器下，俄国为何依然无法迅速收复乌克兰？今天的国际一周，让我们来关注俄乌战争届满半年后 这场无止尽的斗争何去何从？

The Social Contract. When we hear this term, most of us have a particular image in our heads – an image of Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tan Cheng Lock and V. T. Sambanthan in a chamber with some old British dudes signing something that has come to define Malaysian politics and history for better or worse. But what if we told you that there’s no mention of “The Social Contract” in our constitution? So, where did that term come from? We unpack this with Noor Nethusha Nusaybah, historian and President of Imagined Malaysia.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons