General

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said that Dewan Rakyat speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun had no right to reject two motions put forth by Pejuang without first referring them to the Agong. We look at what the process actually is for putting forth motions in Parliament.

Image Source: K X I T H V I S U A L S, Unsplash

The Health Ministry has announced that Covid-19 home self-test kits will be made available for purchase in pharmacies and health facilities. We expand on that and look at our testing strategy by understanding why it matters, and how it helps in the fight against COVID-19. Then we look at what the states, specifically Selangor, have been doing on this front. Finally, we speak about how these home self-test kits enter the picture and how they can be utilised.

Image Source: Annie Spratt, Unsplash

Various countries worldwide have been amping up initiatives to reduce carbon emissions, one of which being to discourage the use of cars. An environmental organization in Berlin is proposing the idea of offering households who do not own cars an incentive. Shawn of the news team tells us more.

Image Source: Will Truettner, Unsplash

The Education Ministry has announced that schools will be reopening gradually beggining September as vaccination rates pick up speed among teachers and support staff. What would that mean with our daily cases rising? We speak about what needs to be put in place for schools to open up safely.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has spared no one in terms of the mental health impact – whether it’s anxiety over the disease, or stress and anguish related to financial uncertainties. People are crying out for help: Befrienders KL received more than 20,000 calls from January to June this year, compared with 32,000 for the whole of 2020. For many, the cries for help have turned to extreme measures, documented in the 468 suicides that occurred in the first five months of this year, compared with 631 throughout 2020. Amid the deluge of bad news, we speak to licensed counsellor Heeran Kaur to find out how we can listen out for these cries, and help to provide psychological first aid.

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

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A staple Hari Raya dish, there is little research on the origins of the ketupat, though academics date its beginnings to 14th and 15th century Java. Traditionally made from different species of palm leaves, many now opt for "ketupat plastik" - which is cheaper and readily available, but also less sustainable, and yet another contributor to plastic waste. Dr Jarina Mohd Jani, a senior lecturer at the faculty of science and marine environment at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) has embarked on project called Wawasan Ketupat, to encourage a return to the traditional ways of weaving ketupat, and to promote its uniqueness, sustainable use of natural resources, and celebration of traditional culture. Ahead of Hari Raya Haji and in conjunction with #PlasticFreeJuly, Dr Jarina joins us to share more.

Image source: Wawasan Ketupat Facebook  

Organised by Sekretariat Solidariti Rakyat (SSR), a group of youths gathered at Dataran Merdeka on the 17th of July to protest the Perikatan Nasional government’s poor handling of the COVID-19 crisis. 14 black flags were raised and waved, five mock dead bodies wrapped in white cloth were laid on the ground and many even wore mock PPE suits, in a small protest that left a powerful impression. 

Following the protest, the police called up, investigated and issued RM 2000 compounds to 3 organisers. One of whom, Mohammad Alshatri (Mat), Programme Officer at Suaram, joins us to share what went down at the protest.

Image source: Tharma Pillai Twitter

The Health Ministry through the Medical Devices Authority has released a list of two Covid-19 self-test kits that have received conditional approval for import and distribution in the country. One of the kits is the first Malaysian-made Covid-19 rapid antigen self-testing kit, and is now available for purchase.

Image Credit: Annie Spratt | Unsplash

Some factories in the Klang Valley were allowed to operate during Phase One of the National Recovery Plan (NRP) have come under close scrutiny by members of the public who blame them for the continued rise in Covid-19 cases.

Image Credit: Pixabay | Pexels

Contrary to popular belief, stress and long-term anxiety aren’t the same thing, especially in the workplace. While stress is to be expected from time to time, unaddressed anxiety at the workplace can impact one’s performance and overall happiness. An article by Thoughtfull breaks down the differences between anxiety and stress, and what can be done to tackle them both.

Image Credit: Tima Miroshnichenko | Pexels