General

Movies and TV shows can awe and entertain, but they can also inspire and influence, and most of us could point to at least one movie or TV show that taught us a life lesson or two - whether it’s to “Just keep swimming,” or that “...words and ideas can change the world.” On this week’s Supercut, we talk about the lessons we’ve learnt from the things we’ve watched.

The Ministry of Local Government Development is considering an ultimatum to F&B operators that do not maintain the cleanliness of their toilets. This will require restaurants to keep their toilets clean and get an ‘A’ rating before they can renew their business licences with the respective city councils. First, we hear from an eatery owner about their reactions to this. And then, we discuss our poor toilet habits, and what we need to help change that.

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Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli has said that food prices at restaurants are the main components driving inflation, and has called for consumers to ‘play their part’ in bringing down the prices of food, by choosing where they spend their money wisely. Is this a practical suggestion? We explore.

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What is mental health? You may think you know the answer, but how would you explain it to a pre-schooler, a primary schoolgoing child, or a teenager? We turn to consultant developmental paediatrician Dr Rajini Sarvananthan for advice on how to talk to children of all ages about mental health, and how to help them be aware of their emotions and when they should reach out for help. 

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Click here to listen to the podcast referenced by Dr Rajini, on how to look for a trusted and qualified mental health provider.

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Historically speaking, a political party / movement that is considered progressive, is one that manages to unite the masses against the ruling class who owns the means of production, for the purpose of reducing the wealth gap and to build an equitable, egalitarian society. So, why then do we see the working class masses, especially the poorest people in society, in many parts of the world, vote for conservative parties, who generally push to reduce the minimum wage, lower tax rates on the rich, etc.

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With the primary goal of eradicating learning poverty in Malaysia, Projek BacaBaca concentrates on early literacy for children aged six to nine, from low-income families. The programme aims to improve reading performance in Bahasa Melayu and English in particular, by empowering individuals and groups of children with their language, literacy, and communication skills in these two languages. We find out more from Dr. Logendra Stanley Ponniah (Director of Impact Lab Education for All) and Hema Letchamanan (Project Leader). 

*To get in touch with Projek BacaBaca, you can email them at [email protected]

Image Credit: Instagram/Projec BacaBaca

The hotel sector has found it to be difficult to replenish its workforce as hotel jobs are perceived as 3D -- dirty, dangerous and difficult — which has long been considered unappealing by locals. It also reported that it has problems recruiting new talents as the younger generations, Gen-Z who prefer gig economy jobs and tend not to prefer working long hours despite overtime pays. But are the Gen-Zs the one to be blamed for hotel staff shortage? 

We discuss this with Shaharuddin M Saaid, Executive Director, Malaysian Association of Hotel Owners (better known as MAHO).

Photo Credit : Shutterstock | Jacob Lund

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is clear that some implemented systems such as remote learning were shown to be a viable addition or replacement to traditional school systems. BeLive Technology is the leading provider of live-streaming solutions in Southeast Asia, and their platform employs advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning developed specifically for live video analysis, live shopping and interactive live-streaming. Kenneth believes that adopting live streaming solutions may be a better option for e-learning platforms, as it allows for user interaction and makes the class more dynamic - rather than having students watching a pre-recorded lecture. 

The concept of Earned Wage Access (EWA) is actually a simple one: giving employees immediate access to the salary they have earned, rather than having them wait for paycheck week. With the rise in cost of living, timely access to finances and salaries have become more vital than ever. As the competition to hire and retain employees grows ever more important, EWA can make a big difference in attracting the right people to help one’s business to scale and meet customer expectations. But is it the solution that we need right now, and what are the pitfalls?

About a month ago, RinggitPlus ran a survey last month and found that more than 70% of Malaysians save less than 500 ringgit per month or do not manage to save at all. Hann Liew of RinggitPlus comes on the show to share some thoughts on the highlights of the survey and why do Malaysians find it hard to save. 

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