According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia, the mean age of a woman’s first marriage has increased from 23.5 years in 1980 to 28.1 years in 2020. It also showed a similar trend for childbirth. But what lies behind the statistics? Anis Farid, Research and Advocacy Officer at the Women's Aid Organisation tells us whilst giving us her views if the recent amendments to the Employment Act go far enough to promote gender equality in the work force.

Last week's market sizzle fizzled after consumer data disappointed, with investors once more concerned that the economy may not be as resilient as hoped, according to Jeffrey Halley, Senior Market Analyst, OANDA.

We get you out of bed, to your first cup of coffee or to your first destination of your day with thought-provoking discussions on ideas, people and events shaping all our lives.

2:26 - Turning chairs into beds for students to nap

8:22 - Flexible working arrangements, possible? 

14:38 - International headlines

19:47- Local headlines

Hanna Alkaf's latest young adult novel takes place in the high-pressure world of Scrabble tournaments, where teenager Najwa Bakri is trying to win the title of Queen of the Tiles while also coming to terms with the mysterious death of her best friend a year ago. As Najwa struggles to cope with her grief while also focusing on the competition, her dead friend's Instagram account starts posting cryptic messages. We discuss the thrills of a murder mystery unfolding amidst much word-nerdery, and whether the novel succeeds as a young adult novel. We close off the conversation by discussing our love for word games.  

Image Source: Goodreads

Picking up the tale 10 years after Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, this Disney+ series follows Obi-Wan Kenobi, called out of living in exile to rescue the kidnapped Princess Leia from the Galactic Empire, leading to a confrontation with his former apprentice, and friend Darth Vader. We talk about this expansion of Star Wars canon, and what it's like to revisit iconic characters, and this world. 

Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman was removed as a member of the UMNO Supreme Council last week. Following his dismissal, he has been openly critical of UMNO president Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi, and also revealed that there were SDs signed supporting Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's bid to be PM. We speak to Ben Suffian, Programme Director at the Merdeka Centre to get his thoughts on the latest developments.

Image Source: Tajuddin Abdul Rahman, Official Facebook account

Recently, a high profile case was reported involving Emilia Hanafi, the ex-wife of businessman Datuk SM Faisal SM Nasimuddin Kamal, who was sentenced to seven days in prison for contempt of court after disobeying an order by unilaterally rescheduling the visitation dates of her three children. This has brought on conversations about the complexity of divorce proceedings within the Syariah legal system. So we first unpack this, and the gaps that exist. Next, we discuss whether reforms are needed and what's needed to be done to push for it.

Image Source: Faizal Ramli, Shutterstock

Here's something many Malaysians have experienced: forgetting a word in one language, trying to replace it in another, and not quite getting it right. We get into all the funny anecdotes shared on Twitter, as well as some of our own stories.

Image Source: PixieMe, Shutterstock

There are a lot of upsides to becoming an entrepreneur: being your own boss, owning your own time, building something from the ground up. Or so go the promises. But what about the downsides and risks? We talk about how to assess whether being an entrepreneur really is what you want to do and why young people in particular are often sold this as a model of success.

Image Source: Ruslan Burlaka, Pexels

‘Because Feelings Matter’ is a series that brings you the stories of people and their mental health issues. In conjunction with Men's Mental Health Awareness Month and Father's Day in June, entrepreneur Chris Tock shares his mental and emotional struggles during the pandemic, as business troubles, financial problems and the challenges of being a new father collided head-on. A self-professed New Age sensitive man, Chris reflects on his psychological journey and the difficult truths he had to confront about himself. This series is produced in collaboration with Thrive Well.