Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is set to unveil Budget 2024 tomorrow (October 13), and will provide clarity on the government's proposed targeted subsidies, taxation, and strategies to increase revenue. First, we discuss what the budget should focus on, and then we hone in on youth initiatives.

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On October 7, 2023, Palestinian militant group Hamas fired a barrage of rockets into southern Israel, briefly taking control of some Israeli settlements and taking some Israeli soldiers hostage - a retaliation to the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli settlers and the killing of a record number of Palestinians, but also in response to years of occupation and oppression by the Zionist Israel regime. This subsequently led to a declaration of war from Israel. We first hear from Abeer Barakat, a Palestinian woman living in Gaza, who talks about her harrowing experiences in the last few days and why the world needs to reframe our understanding of the conflict. Then, Mercy Malaysia joins us to talk about the humanitarian impact of the situation, and the relief efforts that are underway.

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With Oct 10 being World Mental Health Day, Prime Minister Datuk Anwar Ibrahim and a few other lawmakers showed their support by wearing a green ribbon pin in Parliament. The PM also called on the public to stop the stigma associated with mental health problems. We speak with a clinical psychologist about how this stigma is shifting over time, and asked listeners whether Malaysians are becoming more comfortable discussing mental health challenges.

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Former Penang deputy chief minister, Dr P. Ramasamy, has proposed that Malaysian Indians should form a political party that's not allied to either Pakatan Harapan or Perikatan Nasional, saying that this would benefit the Indian community best. We speak to him about his rationale for this, and also open up the conversation to our listeners. Later, we hear of the sentiments amongst Indian voters from David Marshel, former Seberang Perai city councillor and co-host of Tamil-language podcast Sembang Pokok.

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When I Was A Kid 3, a comic book by Cheeming Boey, was recently banned by the Home Ministry under the Printing Press and Publications Act 1984, on the ground that it contained material that was “likely to be prejudicial to morality”. While actual details are scarce, the ban seems linked to a chapter in the book about a childhood incident where Boey's father showed him how fast his Indonesian domestic worker could climb a tree, saying she could do it like a monkey. We speak with Boey about the ban, and then discuss why book bans can be problematic.

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Following the resolution of the actors' strike in Hollywood, it is being reported that Netflix might raise its subscription rates. This opens up the question of how much we're willing to pay for streaming services, and when it's just too much. We discuss future directions streaming services might take, and hear from our listeners on how they decide which entertainment options to pay for.

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Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek says there has been an increase in the number of SPM leavers choosing not to pursue higher education. Among the factors that influenced their decision include financial problems and not wanting to be bound by education loans. We look into this and ask the opinions of an educationist and also explore the employers’ perspective into the issue.

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An ongoing exhibition called "Welcome to Postnormal Times" at the KL Jazz and Arts Center in Taman Seputeh has been going on since Friday, 6th of October 2023. Scott and Maya, who are part of Centre for Postnormal Policy and Future Studies joins us to explain what postnormal means and how to think creatively about the future.

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There's been a proposal for a special employment scheme to be introduced for senior citizens. This is coming from Prof Dr Zumilah Zainalaludin, a senior lecturer from the Faculty of Human Ecology at Universiti Putra Malaysia, who said this would be beneficial to address the financial challenges and mental wellbeing of elderly folks. So we talk about whose responsibility is it to care for the elderly, and what jobs they would be suited for.

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September 20th marked the 25th anniversary of the Reformasi movement, which began with the sacking and arrest of then Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. We explore the origins of this political movement with people who were there when it happened, and ask listeners for their own experiences during this period.

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