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 speak to Alex Ong, Labour Rights Activist & Malaysian Coordinator of Migrant Care AND Sivaranjani Manickam, National Workers Bureau Coordinator, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM). 



Image credit: Shutterstock

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.&nbsp;The question is, what should the new minimum wage be? How much should it increase from the current RM 1500? We speak to Alex Ong, Labour Rights Activist &amp; Malaysian Coordinator of Migrant Care AND Sivaranjani Manickam, National Workers Bureau Coordinator, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM).&nbsp;Image credit: Shutterstock

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.

Beyond the Ballot Box

What Should the New Minimum Wage Be?

South Africans celebrate “Freedom Day” every April 27, commemorating the country’s first democratic election in 1994. It also marked the official end of racial segregation and apartheid in South Africa. Apartheid and racial segregation meant that there was a huge inequality and inequity gap between the ethnic groups in South Africa, namely the minority white population and the poorer majority black population. To tackle this, South Africa implemented an affirmative action policy which bears some resemblance to Malaysia’s New Economic Policy. 

So, decades on, what has been the result of the affirmative action policy in Malaysia and South Africa?

Dr Lee Hwok-Aun, who’s a Senior Fellow of the Malaysian Studies Programme at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, has spent many years studying the ethnic majority-favouring affirmative action policy in South Africa and Malaysia. He joins us on the show today to share his insights.



Image Credit: Shutterstock

South Africans celebrate “Freedom Day” every April 27, commemorating the country’s first democratic election in 1994. It also marked the official end of racial segregation and apartheid in South Africa. Apartheid and racial segregation meant that there was a huge inequality and inequity gap between the ethnic groups in South Africa, namely the minority white population and the poorer majority black population. To tackle this, South Africa implemented an affirmative action policy which bears some resemblance to Malaysia’s New Economic Policy.&nbsp;So, decades on, what has been the result of the affirmative action policy in Malaysia and South Africa?Dr Lee Hwok-Aun, who’s a Senior Fellow of the Malaysian Studies Programme at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, has spent many years studying the ethnic majority-favouring affirmative action policy in South Africa and Malaysia. He joins us on the show today to share his insights.Image Credit: Shutterstock

 Affirmative Action in South Africa & Malaysia: What Can We Learn?

The Kuala Kubu Bharu by-elections will be held on the 11th of May. This comes at the heels of the unfortunate passing of KKB incumbent ADUN, Lee Kee Hiong from the DAP. 

The by-election will see a four-cornered fight between Pang Sock Tao from Pakatan Harapan, Khairul Azhari Saut from Perikatan Nasional, Hafizah Zainuddin from Parti Rakyat Malaysia and Nyau Ke Xin running as an independent. 

So, how closely contested will this election be? What can the voting trends of the past decade tell us? We speak to Danesh Prakash Chako of Tindak Malaysia.



Image Credit: YuriAbas, Shutterstock

The Kuala Kubu Bharu by-elections will be held on the 11th of May. This comes at the heels of the unfortunate passing of KKB incumbent ADUN, Lee Kee Hiong from the DAP. The by-election will see a four-cornered fight between Pang Sock Tao from Pakatan Harapan, Khairul Azhari Saut from Perikatan Nasional, Hafizah Zainuddin from Parti Rakyat Malaysia and Nyau Ke Xin running as an independent. So, how closely contested will this election be? What can the voting trends of the past decade tell us? We speak to Danesh Prakash Chako of Tindak Malaysia.Image Credit: YuriAbas, Shutterstock

Kuala Kubu Bharu Constituency Voting Trends

Right-wing parties are gaining traction and strength all over Europe. Germany is no different, where a far-right party called Alternative for Germany (AfD) is becoming increasingly popular and is said to command around 20% of the popular support. 

So, why is this happening?



We speak to Dr Frederik Holst, an academic from Germany and an Associate Professor at Albukhary International University (AIU). 

Right-wing parties are gaining traction and strength all over Europe. Germany is no different, where a far-right party called Alternative for Germany (AfD) is becoming increasingly popular and is said to command around 20% of the popular support.&nbsp;So, why is this happening?We speak to Dr Frederik Holst, an academic from Germany and an Associate Professor at Albukhary International University (AIU).

What Should the New Minimum Wage Be?

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