In a world where news of war, natural disasters, acts of random violence, and more that happen anywhere in the world can reach us in a matter of minutes, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer scale of it all. Some of us have probably chosen to switch off from the news instead, to avoid the distressing feelings that accompany bad news. But is there a way for us to stay informed without feeling numb to what’s happening in the world? We speak to Dr Debbie Ling, compassion researcher and educator; she’s also a lecturer in the Department of Social Work at Monash University. 



Image credit: Shutterstock

In a world where news of war, natural disasters, acts of random violence, and more that happen anywhere in the world can reach us in a matter of minutes, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer scale of it all. Some of us have probably chosen to switch off from the news instead, to avoid the distressing feelings that accompany bad news. But is there a way for us to stay informed without feeling numb to what’s happening in the world? We speak to Dr Debbie Ling, compassion researcher and educator; she’s also a lecturer in the Department of Social Work at Monash University. Image credit: Shutterstock

As the saying goes, something new every day. Listen to thought-provoking conversations with people who have something to share about their lives, about what connects heart, mind and soul, and values, culture and traditions.

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When The News Cycle Is Overwhelming, How Do You Have Compassion?

Spearheaded by Marina Tan, Nukilan Lagu Raya, The Lagu Raya Songbook, delves into a comprehensive exploration of 30 'Raya' songs from 1936 to 2022, where she explored both the context and conceptualisation of these songs as a way to explore our nation’s socio-economic history. From the pioneering work of Bangsawan singers in the 1930s to the emergence of iconic Raya songs and film stars like P. Ramlee in the 1950s, the project traces the evolution of Malaysian music, blending pop-rock influences in the 1960s and 1970s. All of this is coming together in a Music, Food, Fashion & Visual Arts Showcase, which offers us all an immersive journey through Malaysia's musical heritage, bridging past, present, and future cultural narratives. We speak to Marina to find out more about her research into the "Lagu Raya Songbook" and also curator Sharmin Parameswaran, who has put together the visual arts component of this project.

Spearheaded by Marina Tan, Nukilan Lagu Raya, The Lagu Raya Songbook, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/culture/2023/04/22/uncovering-the-origins-of-the-hari-raya-songbook">delves</a> into a comprehensive exploration of 30 'Raya' songs from 1936 to 2022, where she explored both the context and conceptualisation of these songs as a way to explore our nation’s socio-economic history. From the pioneering work of Bangsawan singers in the 1930s to the emergence of iconic Raya songs and film stars like P. Ramlee in the 1950s, the project traces the evolution of Malaysian music, blending pop-rock influences in the 1960s and 1970s. All of this is coming together in a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.temu.my/post/the-lagu-raya-songbook-music-showcase">Music</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C6Yale5Jnnp/?img_index=1">Food</a>, Fashion &amp; Visual Arts Showcase, which offers us all an immersive journey through Malaysia's musical heritage, bridging past, present, and future cultural narratives. We speak to Marina to find out more about her research into the "Lagu Raya Songbook" and also curator Sharmin Parameswaran, who has put together the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.temu.my/post/nukilan-lagu-raya">visual arts </a>component of this project.

Nukilan Lagu Raya - The Lagu Raya Songbook

Seals offer us a window into the past, even if to some of us they seem largely unimportant compared to the document that it accompanies. For maritime Southeast Asia, Malay seals contain a treasure trove of data through which we can learn so much about the history of the Malay world. Joining us on the show today is Dato’ Dr Annabel Teh Gallop, to share more about her work researching and collecting over 2,000 seals for her book, Malay Seals from the Islamic World of Southeast Asia. She is currently the Lead Curator of the Southeast Asia section at the British Library, and in 2022 she received the Merdeka Award for “Outstanding Contribution to the People of Malaysia”.



Image credit: Dr Annabel Teh Gallop

Seals offer us a window into the past, even if to some of us they seem largely unimportant compared to the document that it accompanies. For maritime Southeast Asia, Malay seals contain a treasure trove of data through which we can learn so much about the history of the Malay world. Joining us on the show today is Dato’ Dr Annabel Teh Gallop, to share more about her work researching and collecting over 2,000 seals for her book, Malay Seals from the Islamic World of Southeast Asia. She is currently the Lead Curator of the Southeast Asia section at the British Library, and in 2022 she received the Merdeka Award for “Outstanding Contribution to the People of Malaysia”.Image credit: Dr Annabel Teh Gallop

The Rich History of Malay Seals and Maritime Southeast Asia 

The “State of the World’s Human Rights” report 2023/24, published by Amnesty International, is an annual documentation of human rights conditions globally. According to the report, authorities across the world continue to "assault" universal freedoms, while economic crises, climate change and environmental degradation disproportionately affect already marginalised communities. This is just some of the findings from the report that documents human rights concerns from 2023 in 155 countries, including right here in Malaysia. We speak to Katrina Jorene Maliamauv, the Executive Director of Amnesty International Malaysia, to get a rundown of Malaysia's report card from 2023, and to discuss actions and steps governments and others can take, to do better for everyone.



Image Credit: Shutterstock

The “<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/pol10/7200/2024/en/">State of the World’s Human Rights</a>” report 2023/24, published by Amnesty International, is an annual documentation of human rights conditions globally. According to the report, authorities across the world continue to "assault" universal freedoms, while economic crises, climate change and environmental degradation disproportionately affect already marginalised communities. This is just some of the findings from the report that documents human rights concerns from 2023 in 155 countries, including right here in Malaysia. We speak to Katrina Jorene Maliamauv, the Executive Director of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.amnesty.my/">Amnesty International Malaysia</a>, to get a rundown of Malaysia's report card from 2023, and to discuss actions and steps governments and others can take, to do better for everyone.Image Credit: Shutterstock

When The News Cycle Is Overwhelming, How Do You Have Compassion?

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