Live & Learn

In May 2022, Malaysia increased the national monthly minimum wage from 1,200 ringgit to 1,500 ringgit. While this is still less than a living wage, the move was nonetheless welcomed by labour rights activists and working class Malaysians alike. 

However, there are some who feel that a national minimum wage isn’t necessarily the right approach to the minimum wage problem, to begin with. Kevin Zhang, Research Officer, Malaysian Studies Programme, ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, is one such person. He joins us on the show today, to discuss. 

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Rising food prices. Shortage of food supplies. Food security is becoming an increasingly apparent issue for the average Malaysian. With climate change, the Russia-Ukraine war, and unsustainable agricultural practices , how are all of these affecting food security for Malaysia? And are we doing anything about it? Dr Sarena Che Omar, Deputy Director of Research at Khazanah Research Institute weighs in. 

Bill Stone is an explorer, inventor, and outer space dreamer. He has spent years of his life on exploratory and scientific expeditions, and has logged more time working from remote subterranean camps in the world's deepest caves than any other human being, including two years at depths of more than 1,000 metres beneath the surface. His lifelong quest has been to go deeper beneath the earth than any human has ever ventured, and his goal was to set a new world record by finding a passage beyond a depth of 7,208 feet - proving once and for all his theory that Cheve Cave in Mexico is the deepest cave in the world. He joins us to share more about this expedition, which has been compared to climbing Everest... but in reverse, and also to discuss the new documentary film which chronicles this trip, Explorer: The Deepest Cave on the National Geographic channel.

Image credit: National Geographic, Explorer: The Deepest Cave

‘Converging Paths’ is a production by Parastoo Theatre and Amin Kamrani, an Iranian documentary filmmaker who has been supporting refugee groups since 2011. This event is supported by the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) and will be taking place on the 4th of June (this Saturday), from 5 - 7pm, at PJPAC. Saleh Sepas Co-Founder of Parastoo Theatre, as well as Amin Kamrani, Iranian Photographer & Filmmaker, join us to talk about their production.

Image credit: Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN)/Facebook

We’re now living through a climate crisis. And so, finding environmentally friendly and sustainable ways of running the economy and our daily lives is incredibly important. The filmmaking industry is no exception. But just how harmful can film production be on the environment and how can the industry switch things up and use more sustainable methods of filmmaking?

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The Young Lawyers Movement is made up of a group of lawyers, aiming to improve the legal profession in Malaysia by tackling various issues that young lawyers face in the workplace. But change is never easy, and some of their proposals - most recently on minimum remuneration for pupils - have been widely discussed and debated but not yet implemented. To find out more about the challenges that young lawyers - and law graduates - face today, and whether these proposals will lead to real change in the profession, we speak to Goh Cia Yee, a member of the Young Lawyers Movement.

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In 2017, Amiruddin Nadarajan Abdullah, a.k.a ‘Dr Ganja’ was arrested and charged for 36 drug-related offences under the Dangerous Drugs Act in Malaysia. Under the Act, anyone found with 200 grams of marijuana risks being charged for drug trafficking and sentenced to death. In Amiruddin's case, he was using medical marijuana to treat his own chronic illnesses, and had also helped other terminally ill patients - thus his given nickname Dr G. The film, Ayahku, Dr G, focuses on Amiruddin's story through the lens and experiences of his daughter Siti, and this week on Stay home and watch, our series done in collaboration with the Freedom Film Network, we find out more about the film from filmmakers Hidayah Hisham and Loh Jo Yee.

Image credit: @AyahkuDrG/Twitter

Last on Law & Behold, we discussed federalism in Malaysia, with a special focus on Peninsula Malaysia. This month, we continue that discussion and shift our focus to Sabah and Sarawak, to discuss if this system of federal governance has worked in East Malaysia, and also what the amendment to the Federal Constitution in 2022 - to recognize the special rights of Sabah and Sarawak - has achieved thus far. Joining us for this discussion are Emeritus Professor Datuk Dr Hj Shad Saleem Faruqi (Holder of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Chair, University of Malaya) and Roger Chin (President, Sabah Law Society). 

Law & Behold is a monthly series which aims to arm Malaysians with constitutional literacy, and is done in collaboration with The Malaysian Bar, the University of Malaya's Faculty of Law, and the Malaysian Centre for Constitutionalism and Human Rights (MCCHR).

Image credit: Roger Chin/LinkedIn, Suruhanjaya Pelantikan Kehakiman

Greater Action is a non-profit focused on day-to-day solutions in education, livelihood, and health care for all vulnerable communities, especially refugees and asylum seekers. This Sunday, Greater Action will be having a digital exhibition showcasing NFT digital art by a talented self-taught refugee artist from Afghanistan, Mohammad Soleymani.

Mohammad will be featuring his NFT digital art at the Greater Action center in Bandar Baru Ampang on Sunday, 29th of May from 3-7pm.

If you’ve been on social media the past few months, you’ve probably come across posts, photos and videos of the trial between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp. While it’s actually a defamation trial, much of it revolves around accusations of domestic violence from both sides, and what fans have posted online in response to the ongoing trial has been - in many cases - disturbing and triggering. With how widely it’s being talked about online, how might this impact survivors of domestic violence or people who are still in abusive relationships? Joining me to weigh in on today’s topic, is Sumitra Visvanathan, the Executive Director of Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO).

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