In the spirit of Merdeka and the National Day, we sit down with Malaysian songstress Dato' Sheila Majid, whose 40 year music career unites generations of countrymen. We discuss her musical evolution, the impact of digitalisation and AI on the music industry as well as navigating social media as a celebrity.

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On today’s Breakfast Grill, Philip See sits down with artist Jalani Abu Hassan and Beverly Yong, Co-founder of RogueArt, to discuss Malaysia’s dynamic art scene. They delve into the meaning of artistic value, the role of the public and collectors, and how creativity and culture intersect in shaping the local art landscape.

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Despite forming 6-7% of the populace, many Malaysian Indians are trapped in low-income brackets. Does the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (MITRA) help the Indian community overcome their social and economic challenges. P. Prabakaran, the head of MITRA and Member of Parliament for Batu gives us his views.

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Tariffs, protectionism and fractured alliances are reshaping the global trading system. With blocs like BRICS rising and the US facing questions over its influence, is uncertainty now the new normal for world trade? Dr Deborah Elms, Head of Trade Policy at the Hinrich Foundation, joins us to unpack what this means for Asia, ASEAN and Malaysia.

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Control Risks, a risk consultancy, has opened shop in Kuala Lumpur. We speak to their Head of Southeast Asia, Pamela Qiu, about how the company operates when it comes to managing risk in a world of heightened geopolitics. This comes as the war rages on in Ukraine and Gaza, while tensions remain high between the world’s two superpowers, China and the US, and why they have chosen to open shop in KL.

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This Sunday, Ukraine marks its Independence Day on August 24, commemorating its 1991 return to sovereignty. H.E. Hennadii Nadolenkom, Ukrainian Ambassador to Malaysia reflects on the country’s resilience amid the war with Russia, the role of US-backed peace talks in safeguarding its security, and efforts to prepare for upcoming elections despite the challenges.

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Peninsular Malaysia is home to 18 Orang Asli tribes that make up 0.8% of the country’s population, but despite indigenous status they have been denied a litany of rights under both the constitution and the Aboriginal Peoples Act (APA) 1954. The government is finally looking to amend the APA - will this rectify the injustices that the Orang Asli have borne since the dawn of Merdeka? We discuss this with our expert panel.

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Tan Sri Dr. Nik Norzrul Thani, Executive Chairman of Zaid Ibrahim & Co and trustee of the ZICO Law Network in Malaysia, shares his views on judicial appointments, the recent demerger of the ZICO Law Network and KPMG, the growing surplus of lawyers in the country, as well as the U.S. crackdown on law firms and its ripple effects on the global legal industry.

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Global humanitarian capacity is coming under strain as donor funds dry up and geopolitical posturing takes precedence over international law. What will it take for the international community to act for humanity, which is the theme for World Humanitarian Day this year? We discuss this with Dato' Dr. Ahmad Faizal Mohd Perdaus, President and Mohd Radzi Jamaluddin, ex-officio exco member of Mercy Malaysia.

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The pharmaceutical industry is at a crossroads, grappling with scepticism over the efficacy of medicines and rising competition We speak to Dr Abdullahi Sheriff, Managing Director of MSD for Singapore, Malaysia, and Brunei, about how the company is navigating these challenges whilst asking what is the strategy for growth.

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