Good Things

In Malaysia, it’s estimated that 5,000 babies with congenital heart disease are born every year. While many of these cases will be mild and wouldn’t require any treatment, more severe cases would require surgical intervention which may not be easily accessible to underprivileged families.That’s where the Malaysian Congenital Heart Foundation comes in, as a non-profit organisation to support patients with congenital heart disease and their families across Malaysia. Here to tell us more about the organisation and the life-changing work that they do, is Dr Hanis Syahira Hamdan, its chief operating officer.

Image Credit: Yayasan Jantung Kongenital Malaysia

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For many Malaysian mothers with foreign spouses, who gave birth overseas, obtaining citizenship for their children is a never-ending struggle. As it stands, the Malaysian constitution awards fathers the automatic right to confer citizenship on their children born abroad but the same does not apply to mothers.

Esther Teo is one of these mothers. After fighting an uphill battle against the system for years, alongside other mothers and the NGO Family Frontiers, her eight-year-old daughter finally obtained her citizenship in late December 2023. 

Esther joins us in this episode to share her journey.

Image Credit: Esther Teo

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From running a large-scale pro bono medical camp for six years, to collecting, fixing, and giving repurposed computers to schoolchildren in need, the Medical Awareness Camp Outreach or MACO team have come a long way since they started their NGO. Started by a group of specialist doctors and non-medical volunteers to provide free medical services to the poor, the group's current focus is on their computer empowerment programme, which helps underserved children by providing them with repurposed computers, and also by building or equipping school computer labs for those without. Over the past three and a half years, the group has given out 5000 computers to beneficiaries around Malaysia. We speak to Dr Ir Toh Cheng Teik (current president, MACO) and Datin Dr Pixie Low (founding president, MACO) about the group's mission, achievements, and plans for the future, and also how they are connecting individuals and corporates to communities in need.

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Wong Chin Huat is a political scientist and one of the founding members of Bersih 17 years ago. But Chin Huat’s passion for politics and fighting against injustice started way before that. On today’s episode, we have a conversation with Chin Huat about his political life before Bersih, what the Bersih movement changed in this country (and what it didn’t) and his hopes for the future.

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Wathshlah Naidu is the Executive Director of the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ), a non-profit organisation promoting media freedom, access to information and freedom of expression. She’s also been part of Women’s Aid Organisation and the International Women’s Rights Action Watch, as well as UNHCR. In this episode, we discuss her journey as an activist for more than 20 years, feminism and working in WAO, and how growing up with a mom who was religious and slightly conservative and a dad who was a socialist shaped her worldviews.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

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Baha Hilo was born and raised in Palestine. He has worked with human rights, and advocacy groups including the United Nations, the Badil Centre for Residency and Refugee Rights, and more. He is co-founder of The Citadel – 1865, a cultural space in Beit Sahour. As an educator, Baha runs “To Be There,” an initiative that offers educational programs about the history and culture of Palestine. In this episode, he shares his life journey and hope for the future.

Image Credit: Bethlehem Cultural Festival

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You might have heard of Wong Yan Ke, the former University Malaya student who protested at his own graduation ceremony, calling for the resignation of the vice-chancellor. Yan Ke is a rabble-rouser and one of the most prominent young voices in the activism scene. He’s a human rights defender at SUARAM and was recently also elected as the Deputy Chair of Bersih. Yan Ke joins us on the show today to talk about his journey in activism and what's next for Bersih.

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FriendenArts was founded in 2016 by Edmund Lim and Sook Yee to help disadvantaged young people discover and develop their creative potential through visual art. But what exactly does that mean? We speak to Edmund Lim, Co-Founder of FriendenArts.

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Everyday is a New Day - Jaden

The Colours of Malaysia - Jaden and Branden

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Originally from Millaa Millaa in Queensland, Australia, Dr Lachlan McIver is a rural generalist who has treated patients and provided medical care for rural and remote communities in several countries, including around Australia and Pacific Island countries. He’s joining us on the show today to share more about how his work with these communities has highlighted the impact of climate change on the most vulnerable communities. He’s also the Tropical Diseases and Planetary Health advisor with Médecins Sans Frontières, also known as Doctors Without Borders.

Image Credit: Lachlan McIver

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Irene Xavier is the Executive Director of Persatuan Sahabat Wanita. She’s a resilient and dedicated activist who has spent her life championing workers' rights in Malaysia and was one of the 106 people detained under the Internal Security Act (Malaysia) in 1987 during Operation Lalang. Despite enduring imprisonment and adversity, Irene’s commitment to justice is unwavering. She joins us on the show to share her journey.

Image Credit: TEDx Talk

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