Cabinet vacancy & unity government leadership

Nurul Izzah's turn to lead PKR?

System failing to protect M'sian children?

Band-aid solutions to solve school violence

Charges footballers' citizenship spoofing

Can FAM recover its football credentials?

Rolling back the time zone to UTC+7

Malaysia’s 2025 was marked by a stormy PKR election, school violence, and a scandal rocking its football team.

Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times analyses the hottest political and trending talking points, alternating between its Malaysia and China bureaus.

For our December episode, ST’s Malaysia bureau chief Shannon Teoh and host Zurairi A.R. are joined by Nik Nazmi, a member of Parliament from PKR, and former minister of natural resources and environmental stability.

We look back at the Malaysian stories that shook 2025, from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s Cabinet vacancy and the death of Zara Qairina amid rising school violence, to the scandal engulfing Harimau Malaya’s heritage players.

Highlights (click/tap above):

5:18 Cabinet vacancy and unity government leadership

11:13 Who leads PKR next? Is it Nurul Izzah's turn?

16:07 Are authorities failing to protect Malaysian children?

19:51 Band-aid solutions to solve school violence

25:41 Criminal case for footballers' citizenship spoofing

28:08 Can Harimau Malaya recover its football credentials?

32:21 Rolling back the time zone to UTC+7 for an extra hour of sunrise

Read more:

The curious case of four missing Cabinet ministers in Malaysia https://str.sg/A9fZ 

Death of student in Sabah raises hurdle for Malaysian PM Anwar as he faces tough state polls soon https://str.sg/hpptQ 

Malaysia fans fear Asian Cup blow as Fifa probe casts doubt on naturalised players https://str.sg/p62X  

Malaysia faces renewed calls to rewind the clock, 40 years after shifting to UTC+8 https://str.sg/qnuM 

Read Zurairi A.R.’s articles: https://str.sg/DCfr 

Read Shannon Teoh's articles: https://str.sg/wzyK 

Sign up for ST’s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/sfpz 

Host: Zurairi A.R. (zurairi@sph.com.sg)  

Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Executive producer: Ernest Luis

Follow Asian Insider Podcast on Fridays here:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX 

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts  

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg 

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg 

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts 

The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

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Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX 

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#STAsianInsider

Malaysia&rsquo;s 2025 was marked by a stormy PKR election, school violence, and a scandal rocking its football team.
Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times analyses the hottest political and trending talking points, alternating between its Malaysia and China bureaus.
For our December episode, ST&rsquo;s Malaysia bureau chief Shannon Teoh and host Zurairi A.R. are joined by Nik Nazmi, a member of Parliament from PKR, and former minister of natural resources and environmental stability.
We look back at the Malaysian stories that shook 2025, from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim&rsquo;s Cabinet vacancy and the death of Zara Qairina amid rising school violence, to the scandal engulfing Harimau Malaya&rsquo;s heritage players.
Highlights (click/tap above):
5:18 Cabinet vacancy and unity government leadership
11:13 Who leads PKR next? Is it Nurul Izzah's turn?
16:07 Are authorities failing to protect Malaysian children?
19:51 Band-aid solutions to solve school violence
25:41 Criminal case for footballers' citizenship spoofing
28:08 Can Harimau Malaya recover its football credentials?
32:21 Rolling back the time zone to UTC+7 for an extra hour of sunrise
Read more:
The curious case of four missing Cabinet ministers in Malaysia <a href="https://str.sg/A9fZ">https://str.sg/A9fZ</a>&nbsp;
Death of student in Sabah raises hurdle for Malaysian PM Anwar as he faces tough state polls soon <a href="https://str.sg/hpptQ">https://str.sg/hpptQ</a>&nbsp;
Malaysia fans fear Asian Cup blow as Fifa probe casts doubt on naturalised players <a href="https://str.sg/p62X">https://str.sg/p62X</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;
Malaysia faces renewed calls to rewind the clock, 40 years after shifting to UTC+8 <a href="https://str.sg/qnuM">https://str.sg/qnuM</a>&nbsp;
Read Zurairi A.R.&rsquo;s articles: <a href="https://str.sg/DCfr">https://str.sg/DCfr</a>&nbsp;
Read Shannon Teoh's articles: <a href="https://str.sg/wzyK">https://str.sg/wzyK</a>&nbsp;
Sign up for ST&rsquo;s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: <a href="https://str.sg/sfpz">https://str.sg/sfpz</a>&nbsp;
Host: Zurairi A.R. (<a href="mailto:zurairi@sph.com.sg">zurairi@sph.com.sg</a>)&nbsp;&nbsp;
Produced and edited by: Fa&rsquo;izah Sani
Executive producer: Ernest Luis
Follow Asian Insider Podcast on Fridays here:
Channel:<a href="https://str.sg/JWa7"> https://str.sg/JWa7</a>&nbsp;
Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://str.sg/JWa8"> https://str.sg/JWa8</a>&nbsp;
Spotify:<a href="https://str.sg/JWaX"> https://str.sg/JWaX</a>&nbsp;
Website:<a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts"> http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>&nbsp;
SPH Awedio app: <a href="https://www.awedio.sg">https://www.awedio.sg</a>&nbsp;
---
Follow more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: <a href="https://str.sg/wvz7">https://str.sg/wvz7</a>
Get more updates: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>&nbsp;
The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: <a href="https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast" data-stringify-link="https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast" data-sk="tooltip_parent">https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast</a>
---
Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store: <a href="https://str.sg/icyB">https://str.sg/icyB</a>
Google Play: <a href="https://str.sg/icyX">https://str.sg/icyX</a>&nbsp;
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#STAsianInsider

Get our uniquely Asian perspective on global issues, with ST’s correspondents from around the world.

Synopsis: Every Friday, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s globally-based correspondents.

Produced and edited by: Fa'izah Sani

Executive producer: Ernest Luis

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

Synopsis: Every Friday, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s globally-based correspondents.
Produced and edited by: Fa'izah Sani
Executive producer: Ernest Luis
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

Asian Insider

Synopsis: Every Friday, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s globally-based correspondents.
Produced and edited by: Fa'izah Sani
Executive producer: Ernest Luis
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

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