An extensive new report by the criminal justice system reform NGO Hayat contends that Malaysia’s anti-drug framework has evolved into a system that often punishes low-level couriers who are deceived and manipulated rather than kingpins that run the show. It traces this problem to two key legal mechanisms: statutory presumptions in the Dangerous Drugs Act and the doctrine of wilful blindness. Together, these rules shift the burden onto accused persons to prove they did not know they were carrying drugs, even in cases involving hidden compartments, forged travel arrangements, romance scams, or fraudulent job offers. A major focus is the landmark case of Herlina Purnama Sari, an Indonesian woman sentenced to death after drugs were found in her luggage. 

In this episode, we unpack this and more with Tham Jia Vern, who's a researcher at HAYAT and one of the authors of the report. 


Image Credit: Hayat

An extensive new report by the criminal justice system reform NGO Hayat contends that Malaysia’s anti-drug framework has evolved into a system that often punishes low-level couriers who are deceived and manipulated rather than kingpins that run the show. It traces this problem to two key legal mechanisms: statutory presumptions in the Dangerous Drugs Act and the doctrine of wilful blindness. Together, these rules shift the burden onto accused persons to prove they did not know they were carrying drugs, even in cases involving hidden compartments, forged travel arrangements, romance scams, or fraudulent job offers. A major focus is the landmark case of Herlina Purnama Sari, an Indonesian woman sentenced to death after drugs were found in her luggage.&nbsp;In this episode, we unpack this and more with Tham Jia Vern, who's a researcher at HAYAT and one of the authors of the report.&nbsp; Image Credit: Hayat

As they say, democracy doesn't begin and end at the ballot box. 
On Beyond the Ballot Box, we have in-depth conversations about political economy and human rights in Malaysia, Southeast Asia, and around the globe through a class prism.

As they say, democracy doesn't begin and end at the ballot box. On Beyond the Ballot Box, we have in-depth conversations about political economy and human rights in Malaysia, Southeast Asia, and around the globe through a class prism.

Beyond the Ballot Box

As they say, democracy doesn't begin and end at the ballot box. On Beyond the Ballot Box, we speak to politicians and analysts and explore burning issues and questions surrounding our fluid and ever-changing political scene.

As they say, democracy doesn't begin and end at the ballot box. On Beyond the Ballot Box, we speak to politicians and analysts and explore burning issues and questions surrounding our fluid and ever-changing political scene.

Malaysia’s Death Formula

Many Malaysians are familiar with the story of how colonial powers used divide-and-rule policies to reshape Malayan society, creating ethnic and class structures whose effects continue to reverberate today. 

But how should we understand our political and economic development post-independence? 

How did neoliberalism reshape society? Why, despite decades of economic growth, do so many Malaysians continue to struggle with stagnant wages, rising living costs, debt, housing affordability and more? As Malaysia faces the challenges of the 21st century, a different kind of political and economic model is needed to build a society that is both prosperous and fair, but what should that look like?

So many big questions. 

In this episode, we speak to Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj, chairperson of Parti Sosialis Malaysia. He has written a paper for the Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research titled Contemporary Challenges for the Malaysian Left. 


Image Credit: Tricontinental Asia

Many Malaysians are familiar with the story of how colonial powers used divide-and-rule policies to reshape Malayan society, creating ethnic and class structures whose effects continue to reverberate today.&nbsp;But how should we understand our political and economic development post-independence?&nbsp;How did neoliberalism reshape society? Why, despite decades of economic growth, do so many Malaysians continue to struggle with stagnant wages, rising living costs, debt, housing affordability and more? As Malaysia faces the challenges of the 21st century, a different kind of political and economic model is needed to build a society that is both prosperous and fair, but what should that look like?So many big questions.&nbsp;In this episode, we speak to Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj, chairperson of Parti Sosialis Malaysia. He has written a paper for the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://thetricontinental.org/asia/contemporary-challenges-for-the-malaysian-left/">Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research titled Contemporary Challenges for the Malaysian Left.&nbsp;</a> Image Credit: Tricontinental Asia

The Big Political and Economic Challenges Facing Malaysia

The Strait of Hormuz has been blocked for a few months now, which has resulted in a global energy crisis. While some hope things will return to the way they were, many geopolitical experts think this is the new normal. 

So it's all the more reason for us to understand the conflict between Iran and the West at a deeper level. 

In his paper titled The Intimate Enmity: Iran and the West, Yin Shao Loong, who’s the deputy director of research at the Khazanah Research Institute argues that the US-Israeli illegal war on Iran and Iran’s subsequent retaliation cannot be understood simply by looking at the past few months, as it is only the latest chapter in a much longer history of imperial intervention and regional power struggles. 

In this episode, Shao Loong joins us to unpack his paper. 

The Strait of Hormuz has been blocked for a few months now, which has resulted in a global energy crisis. While some hope things will return to the way they were, many geopolitical experts think this is the new normal. So it's all the more reason for us to understand the conflict between Iran and the West at a deeper level. In his paper titled The Intimate Enmity: Iran and the West, Yin Shao Loong, who’s the deputy director of research at the Khazanah Research Institute argues that the US-Israeli illegal war on Iran and Iran’s subsequent retaliation cannot be understood simply by looking at the past few months, as it is only the latest chapter in a much longer history of imperial intervention and regional power struggles. In this episode, Shao Loong joins us to unpack his paper.

The Truth About US and Israel's Relationship With Iran

Dr Chee Soon Juan is one of Singapore’s most prominent opposition politicians and has served as secretary-general of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) since 1993. Despite not having a seat in Parliament, Chee has spent decades advocating greater political pluralism, civil liberties, democratic reform, and stronger social welfare policies in Singapore. Like most in Singapore who choose to actively battle the PAP in the political arena, Dr Chee’s journey has been an uphill one, marked by legal troubles, arrests and prison time. 

In this episode, we speak to Dr Chee on the realities of being part of the opposition in Singapore and the challenges the country faces despite years of good governance by the ruling PAP. We also talk about his new book, Unbroken: The Power of Resilience. 


Image Credit: Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) Facebook

Dr Chee Soon Juan is one of Singapore’s most prominent opposition politicians and has served as secretary-general of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) since 1993. Despite not having a seat in Parliament, Chee has spent decades advocating greater political pluralism, civil liberties, democratic reform, and stronger social welfare policies in Singapore. Like most in Singapore who choose to actively battle the PAP in the political arena, Dr Chee’s journey has been an uphill one, marked by legal troubles, arrests and prison time.&nbsp;In this episode, we speak to Dr Chee on the realities of being part of the opposition in Singapore and the challenges the country faces despite years of good governance by the ruling PAP. We also talk about his new book, Unbroken: The Power of Resilience.&nbsp; Image Credit: Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) Facebook

Malaysia’s Death Formula

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