Budget 2027 will be tabled in Parliament this Friday. In the lead-up to it, former Klang MP Charles Santiago who also runs the think tank Monitoring Sustainability of Globalization (MSN), has been calling for the government to put household prosperity at the centre of its economic policy with stronger wages, social protection and action on the cost of living. He argues that economic growth means little if it isn’t translating into better incomes and greater security for ordinary Malaysians. Separately, Charles is also calling for systemic reforms, including greater government accountability and a more permanent institutional framework for Indian affairs specifically. 

We unpack all of this and more with Charles Santiago. 

Brought to you by Mah Sing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.

Image Credit: Charles Santiago Facebook

Budget 2027 will be tabled in Parliament this Friday. In the lead-up to it, former Klang MP Charles Santiago who also runs the think tank Monitoring Sustainability of Globalization (MSN), has been calling for the government to put household prosperity at the centre of its economic policy with stronger wages, social protection and action on the cost of living. He argues that economic growth means little if it isn’t translating into better incomes and greater security for ordinary Malaysians. Separately, Charles is also calling for systemic reforms, including greater government accountability and a more permanent institutional framework for Indian affairs specifically.&nbsp;We unpack all of this and more with Charles Santiago.&nbsp;Brought to you by Mah Sing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.Image Credit: Charles Santiago Facebook

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.

What Do Malaysian Indians Need From Budget 2027?

Last Friday, the MADANI government unveiled Budget 2027, proposing RM459.8 billion in spending for the year ahead, up from the revised RM444.1 billion for 2026. With plans to raise the minimum wage to RM2,000, expand cash assistance and increase tax relief for individuals, the government says it wants economic growth to translate into better living standards. But with housing affordability, stagnant wages for graduates and the rising cost of living continuing to weigh on households, does Budget 2027 do enough to address the needs of regular Malaysians?

We speak to Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj, Chairperson of Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM).

Brought to you by Mah Sing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.

Image Credit: Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj Facebook

Last Friday, the MADANI government unveiled Budget 2027, proposing RM459.8 billion in spending for the year ahead, up from the revised RM444.1 billion for 2026. With plans to raise the minimum wage to RM2,000, expand cash assistance and increase tax relief for individuals, the government says it wants economic growth to translate into better living standards. But with housing affordability, stagnant wages for graduates and the rising cost of living continuing to weigh on households, does Budget 2027 do enough to address the needs of regular Malaysians?We speak to Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj, Chairperson of Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM).Brought to you by Mah Sing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.Image Credit: Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj Facebook

Does Budget 2027 Address the Needs of Regular Malaysians?

Over the past decade or so far-right parties and leaders have moved from the fringes to the forefront of global politics. Figures like Donald Trump, Marine Le Pen, Giorgia Meloni, Narendra Modi and the BJP, Nigel Farage in the UK, AFD in Germany and more who’s views were once seen as outliers or shrugged off altogether, now command mass followings, win elections and shape global political discourse in a big way. Most recently, the AFD in Germany won a state election, something a far-right hasn’t done in the country since World War II and Hitler. 

The far-right is now concretely in the mainstream. 

So, why is the far-right gaining ground? 

In this conversation, we discuss:

What actually is the far right?

The difficulty of defining the right across different countries, the role of exclusionary politics and nativism, and why concepts developed from the European experience do not always neatly apply to countries like Malaysia.

Why is right-wing populism rising now?

We explore the economic and political conditions behind its resurgence, from neoliberal globalisation and inequality to declining trust in established political parties, and the sense that the promises of liberalism have benefited elites more than ordinary people.

Has the left abandoned the working class?

How centre-left parties have moved closer to professional and college-educated voters, depoliticised the economy and hyperfocused on cultural representation, creating a political vacuum that the right has been able to exploit.

Why does economic frustration become a culture war?

If people experience stagnant wages, insecurity and declining living standards, why are they often drawn towards questions of migration, race, religion and national identity rather than economic reform? And how do political movements give shape to these anxieties?

Can the left reclaim nationalism?

What would a more inclusive form of nationalism look like? One based not on ethnic or religious purity, but on sovereignty, decolonisation, economic development and bringing different communities together around better jobs, healthcare, housing and public services?

What can actually defeat the far right?

Whether left-wing populism can offer a meaningful alternative by combining economic transformation with multicultural politics, and whether political movements need to demonstrate their values through material improvements in people's everyday lives rather than simply arguing about ideology.

Reading/watching/listening list: 


Minority Rule: Adventures in the Culture Wars by Ash Sarkar [Book]


Tyranny of Merit by Michael Sandel [Book]


War for Eternity by Benjamin R. Teitelbaum [Book]


The German Word That Explains Why Young Men Are Moving Right [Substack]


The Left Is Speaking a Dead Language [Substack]

Image Credit: Shutterstock

Over the past decade or so far-right parties and leaders have moved from the fringes to the forefront of global politics. Figures like Donald Trump, Marine Le Pen, Giorgia Meloni, Narendra Modi and the BJP, Nigel Farage in the UK, AFD in Germany and more who’s views were once seen as outliers or shrugged off altogether, now command mass followings, win elections and shape global political discourse in a big way. Most recently, the AFD in Germany won a state election, something a far-right hasn’t done in the country since World War II and Hitler.&nbsp;The far-right is now concretely in the mainstream.&nbsp;So, why is the far-right gaining ground?&nbsp;In this conversation, we discuss:What actually is the far right?The difficulty of defining the right across different countries, the role of exclusionary politics and nativism, and why concepts developed from the European experience do not always neatly apply to countries like Malaysia.Why is right-wing populism rising now?We explore the economic and political conditions behind its resurgence, from neoliberal globalisation and inequality to declining trust in established political parties, and the sense that the promises of liberalism have benefited elites more than ordinary people.Has the left abandoned the working class?How centre-left parties have moved closer to professional and college-educated voters, depoliticised the economy and hyperfocused on cultural representation, creating a political vacuum that the right has been able to exploit.Why does economic frustration become a culture war?If people experience stagnant wages, insecurity and declining living standards, why are they often drawn towards questions of migration, race, religion and national identity rather than economic reform? And how do political movements give shape to these anxieties?Can the left reclaim nationalism?What would a more inclusive form of nationalism look like? One based not on ethnic or religious purity, but on sovereignty, decolonisation, economic development and bringing different communities together around better jobs, healthcare, housing and public services?What can actually defeat the far right?Whether left-wing populism can offer a meaningful alternative by combining economic transformation with multicultural politics, and whether political movements need to demonstrate their values through material improvements in people's everyday lives rather than simply arguing about ideology.Reading/watching/listening list:&nbsp;<ul><li>Minority Rule: Adventures in the Culture Wars by Ash Sarkar [Book]</li><li>Tyranny of Merit by Michael Sandel [Book]</li><li>War for Eternity by Benjamin R. Teitelbaum [Book]</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://thegrimhistorian.substack.com/p/the-german-word-that-explains-why">The German Word That Explains Why Young Men Are Moving Right</a> [Substack]</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://simonpearson1.substack.com/p/the-left-is-speaking-a-dead-language">The Left Is Speaking a Dead Language</a> [Substack]</li></ul>Image Credit: Shutterstock

Making Sense of the Rise of Far-Right Movements Globally

We’re living through a period of enormous uncertainty. Great power tensions are rising, from the US and China to Russia and Europe. The climate is warming, bringing more extreme heat, floods and disruption. And AI is developing at a pace that has left even the people building these systems debating where all of this could ultimately lead.

And perhaps what makes all three particularly frightening is that they’re no longer just science fiction. These are real developments happening right now, and they raise very real existential questions on the future of humanity.

So, are these genuinely existential threats? How worried should we be? 

In this conversation, we discuss: 

Are we sleepwalking into World War Three?
Rising tensions between major powers, particularly the US, China and Russia, and the danger that a conflict could escalate through miscalculation or momentum rather than deliberate intent.

Is the decline of US hegemony making the world more dangerous?
Challenging the idea that a multipolar world automatically means a more balanced world, and that the decline of a dominant power could instead produce renewed great-power rivalry and competition over spheres of influence.

Can diplomacy and international institutions prevent catastrophe?
The role of the UN, diplomats, and multilateral institutions in navigating global conflicts, alongside the question of whether the existing international order is still capable of containing conflicts as global power shifts.

The climate crisis may be the most immediate existential threat.
Rising temperatures, extreme weather, and potential cascading crises such as food failures and mass displacement severely impact the Global South, despite having contributed much less to historical emissions.

Is AI really the threat — or is it who controls AI?
Rather than focusing only on the “AI takes over humanity” scenario, we dissect ownership, capitalism, automation, and inequality. If AI dramatically increases productivity, who actually benefits? Will AI liberate people from work, or simply give more power to those who own the technology?

Image Credit: Shutterstock

We’re living through a period of enormous uncertainty. Great power tensions are rising, from the US and China to Russia and Europe. The climate is warming, bringing more extreme heat, floods and disruption. And AI is developing at a pace that has left even the people building these systems debating where all of this could ultimately lead.And perhaps what makes all three particularly frightening is that they’re no longer just science fiction. These are real developments happening right now, and they raise very real existential questions on the future of humanity.So, are these genuinely existential threats? How worried should we be?&nbsp;In this conversation, we discuss:&nbsp;Are we sleepwalking into World War Three? Rising tensions between major powers, particularly the US, China and Russia, and the danger that a conflict could escalate through miscalculation or momentum rather than deliberate intent.Is the decline of US hegemony making the world more dangerous? Challenging the idea that a multipolar world automatically means a more balanced world, and that the decline of a dominant power could instead produce renewed great-power rivalry and competition over spheres of influence.Can diplomacy and international institutions prevent catastrophe? The role of the UN, diplomats, and multilateral institutions in navigating global conflicts, alongside the question of whether the existing international order is still capable of containing conflicts as global power shifts.The climate crisis may be the most immediate existential threat. Rising temperatures, extreme weather, and potential cascading crises such as food failures and mass displacement severely impact the Global South, despite having contributed much less to historical emissions.Is AI really the threat — or is it who controls AI? Rather than focusing only on the “AI takes over humanity” scenario, we dissect ownership, capitalism, automation, and inequality. If AI dramatically increases productivity, who actually benefits? Will AI liberate people from work, or simply give more power to those who own the technology?Image Credit: Shutterstock

What Do Malaysian Indians Need From Budget 2027?

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