General

As public pressure continues to build for Parliament to recovene, the government has finally agreed in principle to hold "hybrid sessions", where MPs may partake in debates physically or virtually. We discuss how this arrangement might look like, then look at the UK Parliament's implementation of a hybrid approach. Finally, we speak about the wider impact of this on political stability.

Image Source: Afif Abd. Halim, Shutterstock

We see many people struggling as a result of the pandemic, with some even finding it difficult to provide food for their families. Initiatives have been set up by a number of individuals and organisations to set up food banks to help those in need. Shawn tells us more.

Image Source: Melanie Lim, Unsplash

While it began as a satirical joke aimed at PAS, Parti Aspirasi Sains Malaysia (SAINS) may soon become a reality, after it submitted an application to the Registrar of Societies to be a national party. Its stated goal is to implement "evidence-based policies based on science and data". We speak with the founder, Kenneth Chai, who tells us more.

Image Source: Parti Aspirasi Sains Malaysia (SAINS)

Malaysia has entered a full lockdown under MCO 3.0, amid record numbers of COVID-19 cases, deaths and ICU admissions. What is the exit strategy to ensure that this lockdown isn’t just a temporary breather, but a chance to properly bring our cases on a downward trend? We explore what this lockdown should expect to achieve, how to reopen other sectors safely, and why it’s important not to let our guards down, even as vaccinations ramp up.

Image source: Shutterstock

Coral Triangle Day is observed every year on the 9th of June, and is a celebration to raise awareness of ocean conservation and protection, especially on the Coral Triangle, the world's epicenter of marine biodiversity. In our continued coverage on Coral Triangle Day, we speak to Dr Jillian Ooi (Marine Ecologist & Senior Lecturer, Universiti Malaya) and Affendi Yang Amri (Coral Reef Ecologist, Universiti Malaya & President of the Malaysian Society of Marine Sciences), who are both working on a new programme called Projek PULIH - Protecting Underwater Life through Integrated reHabilation - which is related to coral rehabilitation.

Image source: Project Pulih Facebook 

In 2031, robots and artificial intelligence may be tools used by authorities to maintain law and order around the world. While the use of a neutral algorithm to prosecute suspects sounds fair and good, human bias may continue to be the proverbial "ghost in the machine". Kami Chavis, Professor of Law and Director of the Criminal Justice Program at Wake Forest University, joins us to talk about the recent reckoning in the United States in terms of law enforcement, the inclusion of robots in the legal system, and if one day, computers will be the ones creating our laws instead.

 The Coral Triangle Day is observed every year on the 9th of June, and is a celebration to raise awareness of ocean conservation and protection, especially on the Coral Triangle, the world's epicenter of marine biodiversity. The Coral Triangle encompasses the seas of six countries in the Asia-Pacific region: Malaysia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Solomon Islands, and Timor Leste. We get a 101 on the Coral Triangle - sometimes dubbed the "Amazon of the ocean" - from marine scientist Alvin Chelliah, who is also a Senior Programme Manager at Reef Check Malaysia. Alvin will also  discuss Reef Check's work on Pulau Tioman, which is contributing to coral conservation and community resilience there.

Image source: Shutterstock

Phase 2 of the COVID-19 vaccination programme is now underway. In this ongoing series, senior citizens who have gotten their jabs share their stories, to allay fears and concerns about getting the vaccination. This episode features Dr Siva Rama Krishnan, 99, from Kuala Lumpur.

Image source: JKJAV

Last year, the folks at UNDI 18, which is a non-partisan youth advocacy group, organised a little something called Parlimen Digital, a virtual parliamentary sitting run and participated by youths. The event was highly successful and garnered praise from the media, activists and politicians alike. This year, the UNDI 18 folks are back with something that looks to be bigger and better. It’s called Dewan Muda Malaysia (DMM), a two year programme with the aim of promoting greater political participation among Malaysian youths. Qyira Yusri and Tharma Pillai, Co-Founders of UNDI 18, join us to discuss DMM.

Image source: Qyira Yusri's LinkedIn, Dewan Muda Malaysia Facebook, Tharma Pillai's Instagram 

The Malaysia Productivity Corporation has created a platform at http://mymudah.mpc.gov.my/ to allow digital economy startups to voice their regulatory concerns. This is in line with one of the goals in the MyDIGITAL initiative to meet the needs of digital economy businesses.