Building Progressive Malaysia From Within the System

Katrina Leclerc is an award‑winning peacebuilder, researcher, and advocate who specializes in the intersection of Women, Peace & Security (WPS). She serves as a respected expert advisor to governments, UN agencies, and civil society, supporting inclusive peace policy development and implementation across multiple regions and countries, including in Congo, Kenya, Lebanon, Rwanda and more. She was also here in Malaysia recently to meet up with our Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development, as well as civil society.Image Credit: www.leclerck.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been 16 years since Teoh Beng Hock’s passing. Beng Hock was the political aide to an elected representative from the DAP, who was found dead after overnight questioning by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in 2009, sparking public outrage and ongoing allegations of foul play.Today, justice is yet to be served.Last week, the MACC issued a public apology to Teoh’s family. This was followed by a public apology by the DAP. But rather than healing old wounds, it reignited long-standing questions — about accountability, institutional reform, the state of our democracy and the ability of political parties who promised change to actually make change when in power.In this episode, we speak to Dr Khoo Ying Hooi, an Associate Professor of International Relations and Human Rights at Universiti Malaya (UM). She recently wrote an article titled ‘A Week Where Apologies Fell Flat and Lawyers Walked.’ We reflect on where we are today as a country, in terms of fighting for justice and protecting democracy.Image Credit: Dr Khoo Ying Hooi's X Account / ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysian ethnic Indians make up less than 7% of the country’s population — but this small community is disproportionately represented in some of the country’s most troubling statistics. Indians form a shockingly high percentage of the prison population, face persistent income and wealth gaps—both between ethnic groups and within their own community—and continue to grapple with access to quality education. These are not isolated issues; they reflect deep-rooted structural inequalities, legacies of colonial exploitation, and decades of policy neglect.The question is, what can we do about it?YB Charles Santiago is the former MP for Klang and has been passionate about this issue for years. Recently, he’s worked together with Yayasan Iltizam Malaysia and the Sustainable Initiative for Community Change to come up with some proposals which address this issue as well as how we can make Malaysia more inclusive and equitable for all. In this episode, we speak to Charles Santiago. Click here if you’d like to find out more about the specifics of their proposal.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been 70 years since the first General Elections in Malaya in 1955, and 61 years since we voted for the first time as a new nation called Malaysia in 1964. From the era of one-party dominance under the Alliance and then Barisan Nasional, to the historic change of government in 2018, our electoral journey has been an incredible one.In that time, we’ve gone from a nation that didn’t think it was possible to change a government to a nation that believes we can change our government at anytime.In many ways, we’re still going through a maturing process—figuring out what kind of democracy we want to be. On today’s show, we’re taking a step back to reflect on 70 years of elections in Malaysia: how far we've come, what’s worked, what hasn’t, and the critical reforms we still need to build a fairer, more democratic future.In this episode, we speak to Danesh Prakash Chacko, Director of Tindak Malaysia.Tindak Malaysia has an event coming up called 70 Years of General Elections: Shaping Malaysian Democracy, happening on the 26th & 27th of July at the Trident Events (MCNCC) Event Hall.Click here if you’d like to register for the event.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In GE15, the surge of Malay youth support for Perikatan Nasional sparked narratives about a rising “green” or “theocratic wave” and urgent questions about the shifting political attitudes of younger Malays. Many were quick to blame the election outcome on the lowering of the voting age and even went as far as calling the constitutional amendment a mistake. But these narratives are simplistic and divisive and do not get to the heart of the problem.Orang Kita: Politics of Acknowledgement and Resentment is a brilliant new paper by IMAN Research that dives into the minds of Malay youths, especially in the Malay heartland.In this episode, we speak to Aziff Azuddin, the author of the report, about the insecurities, sentiments and political desires of the Malay youth. We also discuss how we can truly build a political project based on multiculturalism and democracy in polarised Malaysia, or at least, where to start.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tess Ingram is a spokesperson with UNICEF who has been on the frontlines of some of the most urgent crises in North Africa and the Middle East, including the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza due to the ongoing genocide of the Palestinians carried out by the State of Israel. In 2024, while attempting to deliver life-saving aid to the North of Gaza, she was inside a clearly marked UNICEF convoy that came under live fire.In this episode, we speak to Ingram about the challenges faced by aid workers in Palestine, the day her aid convoy was shot at by the IDF, what gives her hope and more.Image Credit: UNICEF Supply Division's YouTube Channel See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Peter Slezak is a Jewish Australian academic and outspoken advocate for Palestinian rights. He’s a member of the Council of Advisers at the Hashim Sani Centre for Palestine Studies at Universiti Malaya and the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network.  He’s also an Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of New South Wales, Australia. For decades, he has used his platform and prominence to challenge dominant narratives around Israel-Palestine, often highlighting the moral responsibility of the Jewish community to oppose oppression and apartheid. He has written and spoken extensively about the genocide in Gaza and condemned the misuse and abuse of the term ‘antisemitism’ to silence dissent.In this episode, we speak to Peter about what being the son and grandson of survivors of Nazi Germany taught him about how to view the Zionist project that is the State of Israel, how antisemitism is being weaponised by the right-wing and more.Image Credit: Peter Slezak's X Account / ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Invisible People by Jean Ho is an animated documentary series that shines light on the lives and struggles of people on the margins of society, namely the stateless and refugees. Through short interviews with people from the impacted communities, activists and academics, the series explores themes of identity, belonging, and systemic neglect, while also highlighting the resilience and dignity of those living in the shadows. It’s also a great introduction for people who are completely unfamiliar with the challenges faced by refugees and the stateless.In this episode, we speak to Jean Ho about her documentary.Image Credit: invisiblepeopledoc.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Iskandar Fareez is from the Democratic Action Party (DAP), currently serving as the National Vice Chief of DAPSY, which is their youth wing. He’s also served as a Special Functions Officer to the Deputy Minister in two ministries, namely the Ministry of Plantation and Commodities and Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.Originally from Shah Alam, Iskandar's political journey began while studying in Australia, where he was involved in student activism and connected with progressive Malaysian leaders who inspired him to enter politics. He's passionate about social justice, youth empowerment, and building a more inclusive, multiracial Malaysia. So, in this episode, I'm gonna speak to Iskandar Fareez about his journey in politics and what it's like pushing for change from within the system.Image Credit: Iskandar Fareez's X accountSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Starting 1st of July, Malaysia’s expanded Sales and Service Tax (SST) framework will kick in. Under this expansion, luxury and discretionary items like watches, yachts, and antique artworks will now be taxed at rates of 5% or 10%, while services such as private wellness treatments, construction, fee-based financial services, private schools, among others, will face a 6–8% service tax.There was also a lot of discussion and backlash about imported fruits getting taxed. While that broadly still applies, the government did announce today that imported oranges and apples will be exempted.The government says these new taxes are essential to fund public projects like new hospitals, especially in light of Malaysia’s low tax-to-GDP ratio (currently at 11-12%).But is this the best path forward? Is it aligned with the Prime Minister’s rhetoric on taxing the wealthy (or “mahakaya”)?We speak to Gandipan Nantha Gopalan, Central Committee Member, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM). We discuss what works and what doesn’t about the SST, as well as alternative tax models that could be implemented, which will genuinely target the richest people in society, instead of middle class/upper middle class consumers.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.