Inside Story

Malaysia came in 32nd out of 63 countries in the 2022 International Institute for Management Development (IMD) World Competitiveness Ranking. We speak to Dr. Ong Kian Ming about where we rank and how much weight such rankings hold. Then, we look at top performers in the Asia Pacific region, and what we could be learning from them.

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Malaysia's hospitality services are currently facing a shortage of manpower, and this is happening at a time when the tourism sector is seeing an increase in business. First, we get into the impact of this shortage, and what needs to happen to attract more people to join the industry. Then, we discuss the importance of well-trained tourism workers for the travel experience as a whole.

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The prices of roti canai and teh tarik - both staples of Malaysian mamak restaurants - have gone up, with shop owners being forced to adjust their pricing to keep up with the rising cost of food overall. We look into this, firstly by trying to make sense of these climbing costs, and why an index specifically looking at teh tarik and roti canai is helpful. Then, we get some tips on how to plan and adjust our food budget to accommodate these increasing prices.

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Some long-awaited good news: Malaysia has announced its decision to abolish the mandatory death penalty. In a statement, de facto law minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar revealed that the government has agreed to this decision with a substitute sentence to be imposed at the discretion of the courts. We first discuss the impact of this landmark decision. Then, we look at what needs to be done to shore up our other institutions to support this moving forward.

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Have our agricultural policies led to food insecurity in Malaysia? We look at the policies we have in place, and what some of the gaps are. Then we discuss realistic measures that the government can take to future proof our food needs.

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The issue of people migrating out of Malaysia has always been constant one, and a new report by Bernama has revealed that the majority of people who migrate abroad are women. First, we look into migration trends and what the push and pull factors really are. Then, we circle back to women, and why they're the group migrating the most.

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To commemorate World Environment Day and this year's theme 'Only One Earth', we explore the idea of integrating nature into urban settings. Then, we analyse local sustainability efforts and practices. Finally, we look at indigenous communities and their relationship with the environment, and what we can learn from them.

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Education Minister Mohd Radzi Md Jidin has announced that the PT3 examinations will be abolished from this year. He added the education ministry will replace it with summative assessments which will cover 5 subjects in primary schools. We discuss the pros and cons of this move and whether it signals a pivot from exam-based education. Next, we get into whether our secondary school systems sufficiently prepare students for tertiary education.

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Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has revealed plans to reimplement the Goods And Services Tax (GST), despite awareness of its unpopularity. He said that this proposal is being made in an attempt to expand the government's revenue base and carry the weight of public subsidies, considering the nation's current economic state. First, we talk about its possible reintroduction, its impact, and the timing of it all. Then, we discuss how public perception of it has been shaped by our political landscape.

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We're expanding the conversation on childcare centres by looking into concerns raised by parents on the costs of childcare centres. We get into how much childcare actually costs in Malaysia and whether it’s accessible to everyone. Then, we discuss the larger support systems that need to be put in place to help parents.

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