Morning Brief

Indonesia is facing the worst Covid-19 crisis in the region, as daily new infections climb beyond 25,000 cases.

The surge in cases has placed the healthcare system under enormous pressure, with hospitals in some cities reporting a shortage of oxygen supply. Correspondent Resty Woro Yuniar describes the situation on the ground, and how the Jokowi government is responding.

Image Credit: Toto Santiko Budi / Shutterstock.com

Phuket has reopened to tourists from 63 countries who meet certain conditions albeit Malaysia is excluded from that list. Is this the beginning of travel in a post-Covid-19 world? We speak to Brendan Sobie, Independent Analyst at Sobie Aviation for his views and also if digital covid certificates are a viable option.

Credit: Pikoso.kz | Shutterstock.com

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The government has announced that a 5-day Parliamentary sitting will be held beginning 26 July to discuss the National Recovery Plan and the state of emergency. This comes amid rumblings of an UMNO mutiny within Perikatan Nasional. How much actual debate can we expect during this sitting, and is PN on the cusp of splintering? We discuss the scenarios with political commentator Dr. Bridget Welsh.

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A RM300,000 government allocation for MPs under a food basket initiative has prompted a hailstorm of comments, centring on, amongst others, sufficiency and flexibility.

YB Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Setiawangsa MP, expounds.

Image credit: Twitter @nikznazmi

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A RM300,000 government allocation for MPs under a food basket initiative has prompted a hailstorm of comments, centring on, amongst others, sufficiency and flexibility.

YB Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Setiawangsa MP, expounds.

Image credit: Twitter @nikznazmi

Phuket has reopened to tourists from 63 countries who meet certain conditions albeit Malaysia is excluded from that list. Is this the beginning of travel in a post-Covid-19 world? We speak to Brendan Sobie, Independent Analyst at Sobie Aviation for his views and also if digital covid certificates are a viable option.

Credit: Pikoso.kz | Shutterstock.com

Malaysia has been downgraded to Tier 3 in the US State Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons Report, indicating a failure to comply with minimum standards to combat the crime. One of the issues highlighted in the report is the lack of a victim-centric approach in the government’s response. We discuss the gaps in addressing the needs of trafficking victims with Dr. Hartini Zainuddin of Yayasan Chow Kit.

Image Credit: Shutterstock.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While Selangor and parts of Kuala Lumpur have been placed under enhanced lockdown, five other states have been given the green light to progress to Phase 2 of the National Recovery Plan. How much leeway do states have to determine their own strategies to tackle the pandemic? We discuss the need for data-driven policymaking with Tricia Yeoh of IDEAS.

Image credit: ANDY_GK / Shutterstock

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5G is the next big thing in the telco world but its rollout in ASEAN has been besieged by Covid-19, differing national policies and geopolitical considerations.

Anthea Lai, Senior TMT Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, explains.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia has been downgraded to Tier 3 in the US State Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons Report, indicating a failure to comply with minimum standards to combat the crime. One of the issues highlighted in the report is the lack of a victim-centric approach in the government’s response. We discuss the gaps in addressing the needs of trafficking victims with Dr. Hartini Zainuddin of Yayasan Chow Kit.

Image Credit: Shutterstock.com