General

The Penang South Reclamation (PSR) megaproject is a massive reclamation project to create three islands off the southern coast of Penang island. The size of the proposed reclamation in question involves 4,500 acres of environmentally sensitive areas - that's about the size of Johor’s Forest City. Many Penangites and local civil society organisations have called for the project to be cancelled, raising concerns over how the reclamation will destroy the richest fishery in Penang, negatively affect the livelihoods of 4,817 inshore fishermen, but also saying that the Penang government has not been transparent about the project. We find out more from Meenakshi Raman, President Sahabat Alam Malaysia.

Image source: Penang South Islands Masterplan Design Competition Website

World Refugee Day is observed on the 20th of June each year, to celebrate the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. The theme of World Refugee Day 2021 is together we heal, learn and shine. 

In light of that, Saba Ahmed, a Pakistani refugee who’s an administrator and case worker at the Refugee Emergency Fund Malaysia (REF), shares her story and experiences of living as a refugee in Malaysia.

The government is looking into easing restrictions for individuals who have completed their Covid-19 vaccination including allowing them to travel interstate, says National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme coordinating minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

Airports, ports, and Prasarana depots will be converted into industrial vaccination centres for transportation frontliners. The list of eligible transportation frontliners include but is not limited to sailors, pilots, flight attendants, and e-hailing drivers.

Randstad recently released its annual Employer Brand Research in Malaysia. Independently conducted by Kantar TNS, the report explores the top EVP factors that influence employees and job seekers in their search for a new career. While some findings aren’t surprising, others are indicative of the changing nature of work in a pandemic-driven environment.

The pandemic has forced the whole world to get comfortable with change - be it positive or negative - and as a result, many companies have had to entirely pivot or reinvent themselves. Professor Ian Woodward, co-author of the book, The Phoenix Encounter Method, helps us understand what that journey of rebirth would look like - and what the right mindset is to facilitate such a metamorphosis.

33-year old Ivan Chong is a man of indomitable spirit. Shortly after shutting down his Ultraman merchandising business, he decided to start a brick and mortar F&B venture with whatever savings he had left. He was going to wow KL with his secret weapon - fresh and silky homemade Ricotta cheese. And he did this just before a full lockdown, which stripped him of all the success he experienced in his first few weeks of business. Ivan joins us to discuss his humble but impressive set up in Damansara, how he’s making ends meet during this pandemic, and how he’s determined to share his Ricotta dreams for the foreseeable future.

There has been a spate of media coverage and social media posts on migrant and refugee issues, that have been criticized by rights groups as biased, one-sided, and inaccurate. What is the role of the media in moderating and amplifying these issues, and how can Malaysian media better represent the nuances and perspectives of migrants? We discuss this with representatives from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Malaysia.

Image Credit: AMRUL AZUAR MOKHTAR / Shutterstock.com

Syifaa Mahsuri Ismail, Equity Research Analyst from Hong Leong Investment Bank discusses the impact of MCO 3.0 on the normally resilient consumer sector, which despite recent travails, continues to trade at premium valuations.

Image Credit: 89stocker / Shutterstock.com

Bangi MP Ong Kian Ming has offered his services - pro bono - to businesses and SMEs who desperately need solutions to survive the current lockdown. From golf resorts to chili farmers and a property lawyer, he weighs in on the possible steps that can be taken by businesses to generate income and reflect on the broader policy-making process that’s needed for the economy to thrive.

Image Credit: JiaChengg | Shutterstock.com