Live & Learn

In Malaysia, there is no specific provision relating to environmental protection in the Federal Constitution. Some have said though, it is implicit in Article 5, which guarantees the right to life. Article 5(1) states that no person shall be denied of their personal liberty, unless the law allows it to be. Taking that into account, should the Federal Constitution be amended to expressly include a right to a clean and healthy environment? We discuss this and more with Kiu Jia Yaw, a practising lawyer familiar with environmental laws in Malaysia.

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons (Chris Potter)

The Sabah state elections took place last Saturday and what an absolutely heart-pounding affair it turned out to be. Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), the coalition comprising UMNO, Perikatan Nasional and PBS won 38 out of 73 seats, one seat more than required to form a simple majority government. Warisan+ (Warisan, PKR, DAP, Amanah) won 32 seats, while 3 seats were clinched by independent candidates. What transpired after was convoluted elite political drama -- it is the new normal of Malaysian politics after all -- that left many people annoyed, intrigued and scratching their heads in confusion… sometimes all at the same time. We do a deep dive into the Sabah state elections results and aftermath, and also its implications on our national political scene, with Dr Bridet Welsh, Honorary Research Associate at the University of Nottingham Asia Research Institute.

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The Paralympic Council of Malaysia (PCM) and the All Women's Action Society (AWAM) have signed a memorandum of understanding which will address issues of gender-based violence such as sexual harassment, rape, and workplace discrimination among those in the PCM, whether it’s athletes, coaches, team managers, etc. We speak to

Nisha Sabanayagam, Programme & Operations Manager, All Women's Action Society, as well as Richard Wee, sports lawyer and a member of the Malaysian bar, to get a better understanding of the sporting landscape in Malaysia in regards to gender-based violence, and the importance of this memorandum.

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Sabah Bangkit is a goosebumps-inducing song about the youth, particularly Sabahan youth, rising up in unity and fighting for freedom and recognition. We dissect the lyrics, themes and politics of the song with Aizat Amdan, producer & writer of Sabah Bangkit, as well as Clinton Liew (MKNK), a featured artist, who penned some of the most hair-raising verses. 

The Malaysia Agreement is the legal instrument signed in 1963, which led to the formation of the Federation of Malaysia. On this episode of Law & Behold, we do a quick refresher course on this fascinating document, which was drawn up after a lengthy process of bargaining and negotiations back in 1963, involving the Federation of Malaya, the UK government, North Borneo (Sabah), Sarawak and Singapore. We also discuss the supposed breaches of the treaty, and why there are so many calls to review the agreement, with Emeritus Prof Datuk Dr. Shad Saleem Faruqi, a professor of law at the University of Malaya, and currently holding the Tunku Abdul Rahman Chair as Professor of Constitutional Law.

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A poll by Merdeka Centre indicates that 69% of Malaysians approve of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s run as the Prime Minister, and that the Perikatan Nasional government is also well received compared to other parties or coalitions in the country. Just some quick background information about the survey that was done. We dissect the study and discuss what it really means for our political landscape, with Dr. Francis Hutchinson, who’s a political analyst and the Coordinator of the Malaysia Studies Programme, ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.

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Hoping to facilitate a broader discussion on Malaysia’s history, its present, and its future, cultural organisation PUSAKA, in collaboration with Allianz Malaysia Berhad (Allianz Malaysia), are collaborating on a public education initiative, called Projek Bina Bangsa. Ahead of Malaysia Day, we find out how this project will try to cultivate greater historical clarity on the forging of Malaysia as a nation, with Zakri bin Mohd Khir, the Chief Executive Officer of Allianz Malaysia Berhad, and Eddin Khoo, a writer, cultural researcher, and Founder of Pusaka.

World Sexual Health Day -- a day managed by the World Association for Sexual Health -- is observed annually on September 4th to raise awareness on sexual health. But contrary to popular belief, sexual health isn’t just limited to STDs and STIs. It’s so much more than that.

Unfortunately, sex and sexual health has largely remained taboo in our society. To many, it can be an awkward topic that raises feelings of embarrassment or shame.

And it is this very taboo that FLIRT an initiative by MUC Healthcare wishes to break throughout their event on the 13th of September. We explore the importance of having open conversations about sex and sexual health, with Dr Rachael Winston, the organiser of FLIRT and the Centre Medical Director at MUC Healthcare, as well as, one of the guest speakers of that event, Azryn Azhari Arshad, who’s more commonly known as Kakak Kondom.

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Syed Saddiq recently announced that he will be starting a new multiracial, multireligious, youth-based party. While some are speculating that this could be a game changer in the Malaysian political landscape -- a third force -- others have wondered if the party could even realistically sustain itself, what more make a dent outside the urban bubble. We speak to James Chai and Dr. Bridget Welsh to explore if a youth party can actually make a difference in Malaysia.

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Despite the many challenges we face as a multicultural nation, one thing that has always brought us together as a nation: sports, particularly the hard-hitting racquet sport of badminton. On this episode, we explore the history and cultural significance of badminton to Malaysia, discuss how it has constantly united us all irrespective of race, religion, colour or creed, and also talk about the Lee Chong Wei vs Lindan Olympics trilogy that captured our hearts and reverberated our souls.

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons