General

Psychotherapist and writer Lori Gottlieb’s memoir begins at a difficult point in her life, a time when she herself seeks out therapy to cope with her challenges. Thus, the book juxtaposes her own journey with therapy against her experiences with five different patients - and uses simple, accessible language and storytelling to make a case for therapy and mental health care. We review the book, and in Footnotes, extend the conversation to vulnerability as a theme in books.

If there was ever a film that defined the word "caper", The Sting would be it. Starring Hollywood heavyweights Robert Redford and Paul Newman, the film went on to sweep The Oscars in 1974 by winning a slew of technical trophies plus Best Picture. In this episode, we take it back to an era rife with con men, gangsters, and scheming criminals - the 70s... and we also review The Sting.

Kim Jong Un's health has been the focus of public attention with his emaciated appearances. This comes with the worry that he has yet to publicly anoint a successor to take charge of North Korea’s advancing nuclear arsenal. We speak about why this has been of concern recently.

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Yesterday, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced PEMULIH, a RM150 billion package aimed to help people and businesses during the pandemic. First, we look at what the package offers for the people. Then, we discuss the initiatives specifically focused on assisting businesses. Finally, we hear from Muar MP Syed Saddiq about additional allocation for food aid.

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The pandemic has resulted in loss of a source of income for Tuk-Tuk Drivers in Bangkok who rely on the tourism industry. Kpop fans have found a way to help struggling Tuk-Tuk drivers, by recruiting these drivers to advertise their favourite artists. Dhanya of the news team tells us more.

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A movement called #BenderaPutih was recently started on social media to help households who are in need of food and essentials, suggesting people hang a white flag outside their homes as a way to ask for assistance. This comes following increasing reports of people facing extreme difficulties during the Covid-19 pandemic. We look into the psychology of asking for help, and how to normalise the act of reaching out when we need a hand.

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The economic impact of the pandemic has pushed more people into lower-income groups, amid an increase in Malaysia’s poverty rate. Several cycles and variations of the MCO have left the B40 communities particularly hard hit, due to job losses, low social protection and lack of safety nets. While there have been urgent calls for financial assistance for the B40, their mental and emotional needs have received less attention. We find out how the Jom Sembang programme by SOLS Health-Thrive Well (supported by Yayasan Hasanah) provided mental health support for the B40. We also explore what are the challenges of providing mental health care for these underserved communities.

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Left wing, right wing, centrists and moderates. We’ve heard these terms before, but what do they even mean? And can they be applied to political landscapes across the globe? Assistant Professor Peter Beattie, lecturer in Global Political Economy, joins us to explain.

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In this episode , Prof Dr Pradeep Nair, Deputy Vice Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer at Taylor’s University speaks to Christine Wong about Taylor’s University as a whole - their story in education, their modern approach to education and how Taylor'sphere, their three-pronged approach to education ultimately helps their students in the long run.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced the National People’s Well-Being and Economic Recovery Package, or PEMULIH as it has been called. Worth RM150 billion, of which RM10 billion is direct fiscal injection, the package involves a range of assistance for individuals and businesses. But is it enough to help the individuals and households who are struggling most? We’ll be discussing this with Lee Hwok-Aun, senior fellow with the Malaysian Studies Programme at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.

Image source: Muhyiddin Yassin Facebook