POPULARITY
Venezuela remains at a political impasse more than a month after Nicolas Maduro was declared the winner in the presidential elections. This outcome is disputed by the opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez and sparked on-going mass street demonstrations. We get updates on the situation in Venezuela with Dr. Raul Sanchez-Urribarri of La Trobe University.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
The Republican National Convention opened today in Milwaukee in the immediate aftermath of the attempted assassination of Donald Trump. How will this shape the trajectory of the US elections this year? We discuss the themes with Mark J. Rozell of George Mason University.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
The second round of voting in the French elections resulted in a surprise outcome: the left-wing coalition, the New Popular Front, was the biggest winner, followed by the centrist alliance of Emmanuel Macron, with the far-right National Rally coming in third. However, with no bloc winning a majority of seats in parliament, what does this mean for the formation of government? We get an analysis from Prof. Rainbow Murray of Queen Mary, University of London.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
As ballots are being tallied in the UK, what do early results tell us about the outcome? We catch up with Patrick Diamond, Professor of Public Policy at Queen Mary, University of London on whether projections of a Labour landslide are hitting the mark.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
In Southeast Asia, elections don't necessarily guarantee stability, as seen in Thailand and the Philippines where fragile alliances are on the brink. We unpack the political developments and what to watch with journalist Erin Cook.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
President Vladimir Putin was welcomed in Pyongyang this week with much fanfare in his first visit to North Korea in 24 years. Together with North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-Un, they signed a strategic partnership to assist each other in the event of aggression against their countries. What does this renewed relationship mean for international stability and security? Dr. Hoo Chiew Ping, Senior Fellow, at the East Asian International Relations (EAIR) Caucus weighs in on these developments.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday dissolved the war cabinet, following the departure of key figures last week over the lack of a post-war strategy. The developments come as the two sides of the war consider a ceasefire proposal presented by US President Joe Biden earlier this month. What does this mean for the trajectory of the war? Middle East expert Dr. James Dorsey weighs in.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
The 1MDB chapter in the US court system came to a close this week, but Goldman Sachs still has unfinished business with the Malaysian government. We get a refresher with independent business writer P. Gunasegaram on where the 1MDB accountability process stands and the loose threads that need to be tied up by the 1MDB Taskforce.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
This week President Xi Jinping is embarking on his first European tour since 2019, under vastly different circumstances. His visit to France, Serbia and Hungary comes at a time when tensions with the EU are at a high over Beijing's support to Russia and contentions over trade practices. Will this visit succeed in reframing the narrative? We discuss the visit with political analyst Dr. Frederick Kliem of Episteme Consultancy and Adjunct Fellow with the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. Image Credit: EPA-EFE
Saudi Arabia hosted the World Economic Forum Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth, and Energy for Development this week, with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in attendance. We discuss Malaysia's bilateral ties with Saudi Arabia and the opportunities that could be explored in the aftermath of the event with Bunn Nagara of the Perak Academy. Image Credit: EPA-EFE
President Joe Biden this week said that the White House would push to raise tariffs on Chinese steel to insulate American producers from cheap imports. The announcement came as the US Trade Representative announced a new investigation into unfair trade practices by China in maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors. What does this mean for US-China trade relations? We discuss the dynamics with Richard McGregor of the Lowy Institute.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
May 15 marks a new political era for Singapore as Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will step down and hand over the reins to his successor, Lawrence Wong. We discuss what this means for Singapore's future with Dr. Gillian Koh, Senior Research Fellow at the NUS Institute of Public Policy.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
Hong Kong passed a new national security law that cracks down on all forms of dissent and allows for trials to be held behind closed doors. This has triggered fresh criticism over fear that it will further erode civil liberties. Elaine Pearson, Asia Director, Human Rights Watch shares with us what is in this new law, its impact, and what can the international community do.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
This week, Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong resigned over corruption allegations, the latest in a string of leadership shake-ups over the past several years that have observers worried about the political stability of the country. We speak to Sebastian Strangio, Southeast Asia Editor at The Diplomat to better understand what's happening in Hanoi and what the implications of the latest developments might be.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
The Thai Election Commission is submitting a motion to the Constitutional Court for the highly popular Move Forward Party (MFP) to be disbanded. Can the MFP, which won the most electoral seats in the elections last year but failed to form government, survive the latest legal onslaught? We discuss the implications with political scientist Dr. Termsak of ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
The 15th Parliament reconvened for its first meeting of the third session on Monday, with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim delivering his inaugural royal address. What were the key takeaways and how does this set the tone for this sitting's parliamentary proceedings? Political scientist Dr. Syaza Syukri of UIA discusses the expectations for parliament and the Madani government.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
Are there still opportunities to invest in China amid the sluggish growth outlook? Tim Mulholland of TJM Limited gives us the sectors to watch, as well as his take on the likelihood of a US recession and the current IPO landscape.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
The two-day NATO Summit in Vilnius concluded yesterday, with mixed outcomes. Sweden will officially join the group after Turkey dropped its objections; but Ukraine's membership path is far from certain, much to Kyiv's chagrin. We discuss the key takeaways from the security summit with Chong Ja Ian of the National University of Singapore.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
Three years after the killing of George Floyd by police officers in the US, France is facing a similar crisis after a 17-year-old boy was shot dead in a Paris traffic stop last week. The shooting sparked days of unrest, causing French President Emmanuel Macron to cancel a visit to Germany. We discuss the causes and consequences of the protests with Prof. Peter McPhee of Melbourne University.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigned from his parliamentary seat this month, sending shockwaves throughout British politics and posing yet another headache for current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. What are the implications of his exit for the Conservative party and the stability of the UK government? We discuss these developments with political scientist Prof. Chandran Kukathas.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
The US State Department issues an annual report on global trafficking in persons, and this year Malaysia has been elevated from the bottom rank, Tier 3 to Tier 2 Watchlist. What does this say about government efforts to eradicate human trafficking? We get reactions and policy recommendations from Adrian Pereira of the North-South Initiative.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
Now that Anwar Ibrahim has been named the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia, all eyes are on him to put his cabinet together. So, what should be taken into consideration when choosing the cabinet and will he get to stick to his principles when making his decision? Image Credit: EPA-EFE
Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim has been appointed the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia. We discuss Anwar's journey, from his student activist days, getting sacked by Tun Dr Mahathir, the reformasi movement and becoming the Prime Minister after 25 years of fighting tirelessly.Image Credit: EPA-EFE and MaxPixel
After a week of political drama and impasse following GE15, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was sworn in as Malaysia's 10th prime minister last Thursday, with a coalition government led by Pakatan Harapan, with Barisan Nasional, Warisan, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah and Gabungan Parti Sarawak as partners. As we wait for the new cabinet to be unveiled, what should be on the human rights agenda for this new government? Will we see significant reforms being pushed through? We hear from Katrina Jorene Maliamauv, Executive Director of Amnesty International Malaysia. Image Credit: EPA-EFE and Shutterstock
Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim has been appointed the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia. We discuss Anwar's journey, from his student activist days, getting sacked by Tun Dr Mahathir, the reformasi movement and becoming the Prime Minister after 25 years of fighting tirelessly.Image Credit: EPA-EFE and MaxPixelSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
After a week of political drama and impasse following GE15, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was sworn in as Malaysia's 10th prime minister last Thursday, with a coalition government led by Pakatan Harapan, with Barisan Nasional, Warisan, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah and Gabungan Parti Sarawak as partners. As we wait for the new cabinet to be unveiled, what should be on the human rights agenda for this new government? Will we see significant reforms being pushed through? We hear from Katrina Jorene Maliamauv, Executive Director of Amnesty International Malaysia. Image Credit: EPA-EFE and Shutterstock
When Indonesia took over the chairmanship of the G20 last year, no one foresaw the outbreak of the war in Ukraine which would derail geopolitical ties between the largest economies in the world. The G20 Summit was successfully hosted in Bali amid ongoing developments in Ukraine - but was this event a case of form over substance? Bunn Nagara, Honorary Research Fellow of Perak Academy gives us the key takeaways from the summit.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
"Do I still need to register to vote?" "Do people from Selangor only need to vote next year?" "What's the point of voting if politicians are just going to hop around?"Feeling confused on the road to GE? In this episode, we answer all your questions (well, as many as we can) about GE15 and unpack everything you need to know as a voter heading into GE15.Image Credit: EPA-EFE & ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo is barred from running for a third term as president, but rumours have surfaced that he may be considering a run as vice-president. We speak to Resty Woro Yuniar of the South China Morning Post on the political developments there as well as look ahead to the G20 Summit in November which Indonesia is hosting in Bali.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
Indonesian President Joko Widodo is barred from running for a third term as president, but rumours have surfaced that he may be considering a run as vice-president. We speak to Resty Woro Yuniar of the South China Morning Post on the political developments there as well as look ahead to the G20 Summit in November which Indonesia is hosting in Bali.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the country's forces have recaptured 6,000 square kilometres of Russian-held territory in counter offensives this week. Moscow has described its troop withdrawal from the region in recent days as a "regrouping", although the explanation is seen as hollow by some observers. Do these developments mark a turning point in the war? Alexey Muraviev of Curtin University gives us his analysis.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the country's forces have recaptured 6,000 square kilometres of Russian-held territory in counter offensives this week. Moscow has described its troop withdrawal from the region in recent days as a "regrouping", although the explanation is seen as hollow by some observers. Do these developments mark a turning point in the war? Alexey Muraviev of Curtin University gives us his analysis.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
Sri Lanka's disgraced former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa returned to Colombo on Friday, less than two months after he fled during the nation's worst economic crisis in memory. In the meantime, there is a potential USD2.9b loan from the IMF. We speak to Anushka Wijesinha, economist and Co-Founder of Centre for a Smart Future, a think tank based in Sri Lanka for an update on these latest developments.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
Sri Lanka's disgraced former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa returned to Colombo on Friday, less than two months after he fled during the nation's worst economic crisis in memory. In the meantime, there is a potential USD2.9b loan from the IMF. We speak to Anushka Wijesinha, economist and Co-Founder of Centre for a Smart Future, a think tank based in Sri Lanka for an update on these latest developments.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
All eyes are on US President Joe Biden's trip to Saudi Arabia, which is taking place two years after the president declared the country a pariah state. Biden has justified his visit as an exercise in realism, but some may see it as the leader having to eat humble pie, amid record US gasoline prices and global tensions arising from the war in Ukraine. We ask Middle East expert Dr. James Dorsey on the expected outcomes of the visit.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
With more than 45 cabinet members resigning from Boris Johnson's government. What are the chances he will survive and who might inherit a divided Tory party? Patrick Diamond, Associate Professor of Public Policy, Queen Mary University of London gives us the answers.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
The emergence of LIV Golf, a new organising tournament seen as a direct challenge to the established PGA Tour, has been controversial partly due to being funded by a Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund. We speak to Bob Holmes about why this is being seen as an example of sportswashing by some parties, and how the rivalry could play out.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
The Shangri-La Security Dialogue returns to Singapore after a two-year hiatus, and all eyes will be on the competing narratives from the US and China on the future of the Indo-Pacific. We discuss expectations for the security summit with Chong Ja Ian of the National University of Singapore.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
Despite renewing a bilateral labour agreement in December 2021, the hiring of workers from Bangladesh has not resumed following suspension in 2018. Labour agents in Bangladesh object to the restriction of recruitment to 25 agencies selected by the Malaysian government, calling for open market access. How does this reflect on Malaysia's broader foreign labour policy? We discuss the issues at hand with economist Dr. Niaz Asadullah.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
North Korea recently launched its 17th missile test this year, hours after US President Joe Biden departed the region after a 5-day visit. With growing concern that North Korea is considering a seventh nuclear test, what options does the international community have to respond to the security threat? We discuss the situation in North Korea with Dr. Hoo Chiew Ping of UKM.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
Malaysia's performance at the SEA Games this year has come under scrutiny, given the poor ranking in the medal tally. Malaysia garnered 39 gold medals, three more than the target of 36, but this showing put Malaysia at 6th place out of the 11 countries competing in the Games. What does this achievement signal about sports development in the country? We discuss the issues at hand with Haresh Deol of online portal twentytwo13.my.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
Australia will head to the polls on Saturday, 21 May to elect the next Prime Minister, with the race being between incumbent Scott Morrison and Labour challenger Anthony Albaneze. We discuss the issues at play as voters make their choice with Dr. Zareh Ghazarian of Monash University.Image Credit: EPA-EFE
The war in Ukraine is entering its 50th day, with no sign of a ceasefire or resolution in sight. Russian forces are regrouping for a renewed offensive in the south-eastern Donbas region, after withdrawing from Kyiv and north-western areas. The prospects of a breakthrough in peace negotiations have also appeared to dissipate, after President Vladimir Putin declared that peace talks were dead in a local press conference this week. We discuss the latest developments on the battlefront with Prof. Rouben Azizian of the Centre for Defence and Security Studies. Image Credit: EPA-EFE
The theme for this year's World Children's Day, observed on 20th November is "A better future for every child." What kind of policies are needed to ensure a better future for Malaysian children? We discuss the proposal to set up a dedicated ministry for children's issues and other child-centric policies with former deputy minister for women, family and community development Hannah Yeoh. Image Credit: EPA-EFE
Expectations are sky-high for Budget 2022 to set the tone for Malaysia's post-pandemic recovery. It will also signal the policy direction of Prime Minister Dato' Seri Ismail Sabri's fledgling government. Ahead of the tabling of an anticipated populist Budget 2022, economist Dr. Nungsari Radhi explores the challenges of funding an expansionary spending plan while remaining prudent about capital expenditure to ensure the nation keeps pace with a fast-developing region. Image Credit: EPA-EFE
Expectations are sky-high for Budget 2022 to set the tone for Malaysia's post-pandemic recovery. It will also signal the policy direction of Prime Minister Dato' Seri Ismail Sabri's fledgling government. Ahead of the tabling of an anticipated populist Budget 2022, economist Dr. Nungsari Radhi explores the challenges of funding an expansionary spending plan while remaining prudent about capital expenditure to ensure the nation keeps pace with a fast-developing region. Image Credit: EPA-EFE
Facebook is changing its corporate name to Meta, as it broadens its reach beyond social media to include virtual reality. Can the rebranding help its flagging reputation, amid whistleblower allegations that it prioritizes profits over safety? We discuss name change and growth prospects with Mandeep Singh of Bloomberg Intelligence. Image Credit: EPA-EFE
Facebook is changing its corporate name to Meta, as it broadens its reach beyond social media to include virtual reality. Can the rebranding help its flagging reputation, amid whistleblower allegations that it prioritizes profits over safety? We discuss name change and growth prospects with Mandeep Singh of Bloomberg Intelligence. Image Credit: EPA-EFE
According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), mean salaries and wages fell 9% in 2020 due to the economic effects of the pandemic. Is this downward trend a temporary blip, or could we see long-lasting implications for the Malaysian economy? Labour economist Dr. Niaz Asadullah helps us understand the data better. Image Credit: EPA-EFE
In the hardline cleric, Ebrahim Raisi, Iran has a new president. With a hitherto-unclear stance on Iranian domestic and foreign policy -- in particular its stalled nuclear deal -- the world waits to see what Raisi does next. Rodger Shanahan, a Research Fellow at the Lowy Institute, discusses. Image Credit: EPA-EFE