Ones to Watch #12 - Youth, Political Parties and GE-16

It's a wrap! The Ones to Watch series has heard the journey and stories of 10 young politicians wanting to make Malaysia a better place. To discuss how youth enter and rise in political parties, we speak with Dashran Yohan of BFM89.9 and Iskandar Fareez, National Vice Chief of DAPSY, who react and …

Sabah: A History of Struggle, Identity and Resistance

Nadira Ilana is a Sabahan filmmaker, activist and storyteller. Born and raised in Sabah, she has spent years documenting stories that often sit outside the dominant national narrative, tackling questions of memory, identity and nation-building from the Sabahan perspective.  In conjunction with Mal…

Ones to Watch #11 - How do young politicians learn the ropes?

Every minister in Putrajaya has a private secretary, a press officer, and a special officer. Many of these officers go on to become politicians themselves. To examine how young political actors learn the ropes, we speak to Loh Ker Chean, National Vice Chief of Wanita KEADILAN and Special Functions …

ASEAN in a Multipolar World

The global order is shifting, with the dominance of the US being challenged by a rising China and a more multipolar world taking shape. For Southeast Asia, these changes bring both opportunities and risks: ASEAN is attracting investment as companies diversify their supply chains, but many countries…

Ones to Watch #10 - Where are youth in Sarawakian politics?

The Sarawak State Assembly is predicted to be dissolved this year, paving way for the 13th Sarawak general elections. Amidst the talk of seats and the redelineation of boundaries, where do youth fit in the larger picture of Sarawakian politics? We speak to Deborah Dris, former Press Secretary to th…

Reading History Through Letters

Sepucuk Surat, Sebuah Episod is a new book by Raja Ahmad Aminullah, a writer, poet and cultural activist. The book documents a particular episode from around 25 years ago through personal letters, petitions and the writer’s own recollections, involving several prominent Malaysians including Anwar I…

Ones to Watch #9 - Can Muslim youth usher in progressive politics?

In an increasingly fragmented political space where identity politics rule, what do progressives need to do in order to win? We speak to Fadhli Umar Aminolhuda of Pemuda Amanah to discuss the GE15 green wave and what progressive Muslims need to do in order to turn the tide. Image Credit: Fadhli Um…

Ones to Watch #8 - Can youth revive a party?

The Malaysian Indian Congress won all four seats it contested in the recent Johor elections, with its youngest newly minted ADUN only 29 years old. For a party almost wiped off the electoral map in 2018, can it be revived? We speak to Dr Shatesh Kumar, National Chief of Putera MIC, if youth can pla…

Why We Need to Move Towards a Wellbeing Economy

Since the end of World War II, but particularly since the end of the cold war, much of the world has used GDP or Gross Domestic Product to measure economic health and progress. However, the past several decades show us that economic growth doesn’t necessarily translate into an economy that delivers…

Ones to Watch #7 - How do youth persevere in politics?

Most youth who run for elections will lose their first try. Why do some candidates keep trying, while some others exit politics? We speak to Rashifa Aljunied, who placed third as MUDA's candidate in Puteri Wangsa in the recent Johor state elections on her journey and why she's continuing her politi…