Good Things

Chong Yee Shan is a part of Parti Sosialis Malaysia, as well as Kesatuan Pekerja Swasta Hospital Kerajaan (KPSHK). Recently, she was one of the key figures in the #CleanerJugaFrontliner convoy, and has been actively fighting for the rights of the marginalised across races and genders for more than a decade. She joins us on the show today to share her journey.

Image credit: Chong Yee Shan/Facebook

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cikgu Siti Rahayu Baharin believes that education is a fundamental human right. She’s one of the co-founders of Buku Jalanan Chow Kit. She also has set up a school for undocumented children and teaches classes on the streets of chow kit. She joins us on the show today to share her journey.

Image credit: @CikguRahayu/Twitter

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The youth-led organisation Borneo Komrad advocates for the human rights of marginalised communities, and believes that education is the way forward for everyone. Citing economics, intellectual advocacy and a sense of community as their three main agendas, the group champion the rights of underserved communities in Sabah mostly, though they are also starting to work in Peninsula Malaysia now. We find out more about the group from Wan Shakila Adiela Wan Azmi, a member of Borneo Komrad and the Manager of Sekolah Alternatif, one of Borneo Komrad's major initiatives which provides free education to stateless and marginalised children.

Image credit: Sekolah Alternatif

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ivy Josiah is a prominent women’s rights activist who is integral in helping establish the Women’s Aid Organisation. She’s been a human rights defender for many decades and has been involved in various protests and demonstrations throughout the years, including the many Bersih rallies. She joins us to share her story.

Image credit: Facebook

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thinzar Shunlei Yi is a fearless human rights activist based in Yangon, Myanmar. She was the first woman coordinator of the National Youth Congress (NYC) and a two-term president of Yangon Youth Network. She’s also one of the Obama Foundation’s inaugural selected #ObamaLeaders for Asia-Pacific. But once upon a time, her life was much different. Shunlei was born into a Junta family. In fact, her father was a captain in the military Junta. So, what changed?

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Back in 1987, Meenakshi Raman was among those detained under Ops Lalang. Spending 47 days in solitary confinement, Meena was never charged with anything, though at the time, this young lawyer had been working on several public interest cases, including the infamous Asia Rare Earth case. The experience of being detained strengthened her convictions, and Meena has continued to work on issues relating to the environment, social justice, development, developing countries and North-South affairs, as president of Sahabat Alam Malaysia, and also through her involvement with the Third World Network and the Consumers Association of Penang. She joins us to share why she eschewed a corporate life and instead took a road less travelled, fighting to help the poor and underserved. 

Image credit: Fossil Free University

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chee Yoke Ling's work is perhaps best described as intersectional. Among many others, she fights to uphold human rights, women's rights, environmental rights, social justice, sustainable development, public health, access to healthcare, and so much more. The Executive Director of the Third World Network (TWN), Yoke Ling is also a trained lawyer in international law, she works closely with TWN’s sister organisations, the Consumers Association of Penang and Sahabat Alam Malaysia, and is an integral part of the Family Frontiers team, who are fighting to ensure Malaysians have equal rights to confer citizenship on their children and spouses. Fun fact: Yoke Ling was also the inspiration behind the character Gi on the hugely popular Captain Planet and the Planeteers series from the 90's. In conjunction with International Women's Day, we speak to Yoke Ling about her life's work, which also embodies this year's theme of achieving "gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow."

Image credit: ETC Group

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the lead up to International Women's Day, we find out more about the Akar Umbi Development Society, an NGO that collaborates with grassroots communities towards ending marginalisation and creating equal opportunities through people-development programmes and initiatives. One such programme is called the Azalea Initiative, which is a leadership programme for refugee women. We find out more from Chen Li, Akar Umbi's Impact Driver and the programme coordinator for the Azalea Initiative, and we also hear from Amber Maria and Tamana Sherzad, who are both refugees living in Malaysia and participants in the Azalea Initiative. Both Amber and Tamana also share their stories of having to flee their home countries to seek safety in Malaysia, their experiences of living as refugees here, and how they are trying to rebuild their lives despite being surrounded by many uncertainties.

Image credit: Akar Umbi Development Society

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ian Yee is one of the most prominent investigative journalists in Malaysia today. He’s one of the pioneers of popular impact journalism channel, R.AGE and has recently founded a new investigative journalism platform, The Fourth.

Image credit: Ian Yee Twitter

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2018, the performing arts community in KL came together to form a new arts coalition called ReformARTsi, aiming to build consensus on specific areas of reform & policy changes in the arts sector in Malaysia. June Tan & Arief Hamizan join us to share what this coalition is all about.

Image credit: Shutterstock

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.