The Klang Valley Needs 7000 Buses Yesterday!
The Greater Klang Valley is a wonderfully diverse city of 8 million people and growing. And if there’s one thing the millions of people share is our frustration with the consistently congested streets. But what can we do about it? SocDem Malaysia is a new centre-left Think Tank. They recently rele…
Public Service Reform: From Pensions to EPF – Good Move?
The government of Malaysia has announced its intention to abolish the popular pension system for future civil service recruits and switch to retirement funds by way of EPF savings. But is this a good move – one that would benefit members of the civil service and the country as a whole or will th…
What Should the New Minimum Wage Be?
The Human Resource Minister, Steven Sim has announced that the government will review the minimum wage this year in accordance with the National Wages Consultative Council Act 2011. The question is, what should the new minimum wage be? How much should it increase from the current RM 1500? We spea…
Do Rohingyas Have a Place in Myanmar’s Revolution?
There is a revolution ongoing in Myanmar. The people of Myanmar of various political ideologies and regions are engaging in civil disobedience and have also taken up arms against the military junta. There’s been talk about forging a new constitution and building a new Myanmar beyond and free from t…
Is Bersatu on a Decline?
Bersatu has been on the news a lot lately largely because there have been many MPs from Bersatu who are now pledging support for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the Madani government. The party isn’t just bleeding MPs though but members at all levels. So, what does this mean for Bersatu’s future? …
45 Mins With: Prof Venkatesh Athreya on the US Empire, Neoliberalism and Multipolarity
Our global political economy is going through some massive changes. Many experts have said that we could be witnessing the slow decline of the US & Western Empire right now. Are we moving towards a multipolar world? What role will China play? And after more than 40 years of neoliberalism, why are w…
What’s Politics 12# - Rethinking the Media
For there to be a proper functioning democracy, we need a proper functioning media system – one that’s focused on the democratisation of ideas and robust debate between various viewpoints. However, the hyper-commercial media landscape today couldn’t be further from that. Fake news, half-truths, nar…
Rev Munther Isaac: “It’s As If Palestinian and Arab Christians Don’t Exist.”
Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac is a Palestinian Christian Theologian, academic and activist. He has written extensively on issues related to theology and politics in the Middle East and is an advocate for peace and justice in the region. He joins us in this episode to discuss the ongoing genocide and ethni…
International Women’s Day 2024: How Do We Reduce the Gender Pay Gap?
In Malaysia, for every RM 100 in wages received by men, women only receive RM 66. This is according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia’s (DOSM) Gender Gap Index for 2022, which is their latest report. But what exactly does this mean? What are its consequences? In light of International Women…
MBPJ Councillor Kusaaliny on Social Democracy and Racial Politics
24-year-old Kusaaliny Mahendran from the DAP, is one of the youngest councillors of Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ). Kusha who comes from incredibly humble beginnings is a social democrat who’s passionate about expanding the common good – be it public healthcare, public transportation or public s…