General

The Taliban has taken control of Afghanistan in just 10 days, sweeping back to power after two decades. To understand the situation, we begin by discussing the messaging that the Taliban has been putting out to the global community and in the media. Then we discuss the need for other countries to offer support to Afghan refugees. Finally, we hear from an Afghan refugee living in Malaysia and end with a poem written and read by Afghan poet, Baran Ayoubi.

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The Agong has called for 114 MPs to be present at the Palace today to confirm their support, after they have reportedly signed SDs in support of Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob to become the next Prime Minister. We speak to Badrul Hisham Ismail to understand what this might entail.

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Last week, on the 8th of August it was announced that some restrictions would be loosened for individuals who are fully vaccinated, especially for those living in states under Phase 2 of the National Recovery Plan. But with daily COVID-19 cases still hovering at the 20,000 mark and some states seeing a worrying rise in COVID-19 cases, many experts are concerned that the loosened restrictions could further fuel the spread of COVID-19. Are these privileges for the fully vaccinated too much, too soon? When and how can restrictions be loosened without risking another COVID-19 wave, especially when our healthcare system is still overwhelmed?

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The Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, has resigned. UMNO’s Ismail Sabri Yaakob is on track to become the 9th Prime Minister of Malaysia, after reportedly commanding the confidence of 114 Members of Parliament, three more than required to form a simple majority government. However, there are some sources that say that it’s the YDPA’s wish, that all parties can unite just for a few months, weather the COVID-19 storm, and then go for elections for a reset. Iskandar Fareez of the think tank, REFSA, joins us to discuss everything that has been going on in our extremely fluid political scene, including the possibility of a unity government, and what it means for our health, economic and political crisis.

Image source: Ismail Sabri Yaakob Facebook, Anwar Ibrahim Facebook

It has been an eventful few days to say the least, with more uncertainty still to come as Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin resigned on Monday, and is currently the caretaker Prime Minister until someone else who is seen to have the support of the majority of MPs can be appointed. But as we try to keep up with all the political decisions and bargaining that are happening, what seems conspicuously absent is the presence of women in these circles. Some might ask: is female representation important at this juncture when there are so many other issues at hand? What changes do women’s rights activists and NGOs want to see when it comes to progress in gender equality in Malaysia?

Image source: Nurul Izzah Anwar Facebook, Yeo Bee Yin Facebook, Mas Ermieyati Samsudin Facebook

Just last week, The Malaysian Shopping Malls Association (PPK) warned of more malls facing closure by year-end, amid the ongoing drought in business caused by the prolonged lockdown. But with some retail segments being allowed to reopen this week, does this offer mall operators and their retail tenants a lifeline? PKK President Tan Sri Teo Chiang Kok gives us the details.

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Over the past few months, we’ve seen many different styles of communication coming from the Prime Minister’s Office, whether they be a live press conference, a recorded conference, and a multitude of Press Releases in the PDF format. We speak with Justin Then, Managing Director from Lumos Hill + Knowlton Strategies about the effectiveness of the communication of the outgoing administration and what we should be looking for with the incoming administration.

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1.44 Million, that is the number of COVID-19 cases Malaysia has recorded thus far. That is potentially 1.44 million instances where the recommended physical distance measures were not adhered to, leading to the transmission of the virus. We're used to checking in using our homegrown app, but what if there were an alternative solution? SM4RT TRACE developed by SAT Asia, can help prevent the spread of Coronavirus by monitoring the distance between two individuals and alerting the wearers accordingly.

Founded in 2016, the main goal of Trapo Asia was to repurpose the manufacturing waste which was a byproduct of foam manufacturing, and turn it into high quality consumer goods. The end result is the well known Trapo range of car mats which provide antibacterial properties along with a host of other functionalities which aim to solve common pain points of everyday drivers.

Balancing your portfolio means setting up a portfolio that fits your individual risk tolerance and investment goals. But it isn't enough to just "set it and forget it." You also need to make sure your portfolio stays balanced, which is known as rebalancing. Roshan Kanesan explores the importance of asset allocation and portfolio rebalancing with Rajen Devadason, Licensed Financial Planner with Manulife Investment Management Malaysia Berhad. Among other things, they get into the Rule of a 110, methods of rebalancing, common mistakes, and whether events like a market crash should trigger us to rebalance.

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