General

During his debate on the 12th Malaysia Plan, Muar MP Syed Saddiq called for the government to openly discuss the pros and cons of approving the use of hemp and medical marijuana in Malaysia. We look at the existing scientific data, and discuss the impact of the paradigm shift among various countries on the issue. Image Source: Add Weed, Unsplash

In today's Inside Story, we look into the news of the abolishment of Section 309 of the Penal Code on the criminalization of suicide, following the statement made by Deputy Health Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang in yesterday's parliament sitting on this topic. First, we discuss how changing this law would help, and what else needs to be done to support it. Next, we revisit what Nurul Izzah Anwar and Kasthuri Patto have said on this issue, in conversations with our colleagues on The Bigger Picture and The Breakfast Grille. Finally, we talk about the kind of mental health care and support should be provided for people who have survived suicide attempts.

If you would like to speak to someone, you can contact:

- Befrienders: 03-76272929 (or email them at [email protected]), 24/7 hotline

- Mercy Malaysia's Psychological First Aid (PFA) Hotline: 03-29359935 - 8.00AM - 5.00PM from Mondays to Fridays - 8.00AM - 1.00PM on Saturdays

- Mental Health Psychosocial Support Service (MHPSS): 03-29359935 or 014-3223392

- Talian Kasih: 15999, or WhatsApp 019-2615999

Image Source: Priscilla Du Preez, Unsplash

We discuss the 12.7 billion public service announcement messages from MKN that we’ve all been getting over the course of the pandemic.

A clip posted by a TikTok user sparked a discussion on whether the original context of the Squid Game series was preserved in its English subtitles. We speak to Jessica Kim, a Korean translator and Korean Language teacher, for her insights on the accuracy of the subtitles and whether they ultimately affect the viewing experience.


Image Source: Daniel Constante, Shutterstock

This year, World Mental Health Day on 10 October will be commemorated with the theme ‘Mental health care for all: let's make it a reality’. Despite great strides being made in awareness, what still stands in the way of ensuring everyone has access to mental health care? We find out from Senator Datuk Ras Adiba Radzi, Patron, National Alliance of Mental Health; and Anita Abu Bakar, President, Mental Illness Awareness & Support Association. Senator Ras Adiba is also the Senate representative for people with disabilities. 

If you need emotional support or just want to talk to someone anonymously, you can call Befrienders KL at 03 7627 2929.

On this episode, refugee rights activist, Heidy Quah joins us to share her story on founding Refuge for the Refugees at the mere age of 18, its growth over the past decade and her entanglement with the authorities.

Image credit: Refuge for the Refugees Facebook page

 Schools have reopened this month, but how did the school closures - which disrupted learning for about 5 million children here in Malaysia - impact our most vulnerable children in particular? Why is getting them back into school a priority? On this, our penultimate episode of our series in collaboration with the folks from Buka Sekolah Kami!, we discuss not only how school closures have impacted the most vulnerable children, but now that schools have reopened, the steps needed in the long road ahead to fix the problems that have resulted from these prolonged school closures. Joining us this week are Azlina Kamal, an Education Specialist for UNICEF in Malaysia, and Chan Soon Seng, the CEO of Teach for Malaysia.

This series is done in collaboration with Buka Sekolah Kami! a coalition of teachers, parents, educational institutions, medical professionals and grassroots organizations, who believe that the cost of school closures greatly outweigh the benefits. They are advocating for policy makers to prioritize the reopening of schools on a national level, and the need for a decentralised solution, and an end to blanket policies. 

Image credit: Naufal Zaquan - Shutterstock

本周发生了全球史无前例网络平台7小时大当机事件，专家估计，如果FB、IG、Whatsapp全球服务中断一小时，将对全球经济造成 1.6 亿美元的损失，持续6-7小时则意味着接近10亿美元左右的经济损失。该事件发生后，当晚相关的科技股股价应声下跌。此外，原油周内继续扩大涨幅，WTI美油一度测试80美元/桶的价位，创近7年新高。部分投资者担心能源危机将推高需求，加上OPEC+增产幅度远低于市场预期导致市场供应陷入紧张。结合种种情况，部分分析师认为第四季度油市可能有较大的供应缺口。

An article by Free Malaysia Today highlights that many Malaysians will not be able to retire comfortably and will be living in absolute poverty during retirement. Geoffrey Williams joins us today to expand more on the reason behind this and what could possible do done about it.

Image Credit: The Observer MY | Shutterstock

The invasion of the Terminators may look more like Elsa than Arnie. We peer inside Disney’s Imagineers division, marvel at Singapore robot police force, and take a look at Facebook’s unprecedented outage.