Mon Oct 21 2024
Consider This: Budget 2025 (Part 2) — The Right Dose for Healthcare?
The Health Ministry has been allocated RM45.3 billion in Budget 2025, which is the second highest after the education ministry. It’s an almost 10% increase from the previous budget. Will it be enough to address the many issues affecting Malaysia’s public healthcare system? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks with Azrul Mohd Khalib, Chief Executive of the Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy, a healthcare policy research and advocacy outfit.
Consider This: Penang Pan Island Link 1 (Part 2) — Complementary or Conflicting with LRT?
Penang’s long-debated Pan Island Link 1 highway has made headlines again, as it was recently revealed that the Federal Government is considering funding the RM7.5 billion project under the 12th Malaysia Plan. The Penang State Government claims the 19.5-kilometer, six-lane highway will be critical for reducing traffic congestion. However, activists warn it could harm the environment and undercut the success of the planned LRT system. Is PIL1 the right path forward for Penang Island? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks with Dr Lim Mah Hui, member of Penang Forum and former Penang Island City Councillor.
Consider This: Penang Pan Island Link 1 (Part 1) — Complementary or Conflicting with LRT?
Penang’s long-debated Pan Island Link 1 highway has made headlines again, as it was recently revealed that the Federal Government is considering funding the RM7.5 billion project under the 12th Malaysia Plan. The Penang State Government claims the 19.5-kilometer, six-lane highway will be critical for reducing traffic congestion. However, activists warn it could harm the environment and undercut the success of the planned LRT system. Is PIL1 the right path forward for Penang Island? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks with Zairil Khir Johari, Penang State Government Exco Member for Infrastructure, Transport & Digital.
Consider This: Education — Learning from Indonesia’s Experience
To mark International Day of Education on January 22nd, on this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks with education consultant & reform advocate, Dzameer Dzulkifli. He is the former Programme Lead of Guru Tribe, under Indonesia’s GovTech Edu, where from 2020 to 2024, he supported Indonesia's Ministry of Education in transforming its education policies. Prior to that, in 2009, he co-founded Teach For Malaysia—leading it for a decade to build a network of over 500 education changemakers. And later, he served as CEO of Yayasan Tunku Abdul Rahman—championing tertiary education for low-income communities.
Consider This: Freedom of Expression — A Blueprint for Media Law Reform
The Centre for Law and Democracy has recently released a Media Law Reform Blueprint to outline ways to strengthen foundational rights in Malaysia, including the freedom of expression, the right to information, and the independent regulation of media. On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks with Toby Mendel, Executive Director of the Centre for Law and Democracy, a Canada-based non-profit human rights organisation. He is also the author of the report ‘Malaysia: Media Law Reform Blueprint’.
Consider This: Trump 2.0 (Part 2) — What ASEAN Can Expect
As Donald Trump returns to the White House as the 47th President of the United States, so does his ‘America First’ agenda. For Southeast Asia, the echoes of his first presidency leave the region bracing for familiar challenges—but could Trump’s second term bring surprises? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks with Dr Adrian Ang, Research Fellow and Coordinator of the US Programme within the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies at Nanyang Technological University’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.
Consider This: Trump 2.0 (Part 1) — What ASEAN Can Expect
As Donald Trump returns to the White House as the 47th President of the United States, so does his ‘America First’ agenda. For Southeast Asia, the echoes of his first presidency leave the region bracing for familiar challenges—but could Trump’s second term bring surprises? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks with Elina Noor, Senior Fellow of the Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Consider This: AI Governance — Shaping Malaysia’s AI Future & Ambitions
Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming a part of our daily lives but as technology evolves more rapidly than governance frameworks, the question is no longer if Malaysia should govern AI, but how—how fast and how much. A new white paper by the Institute of Strategic & International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia seeks to unpack what AI governance really means, and why it matters for Malaysia’s future. On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks with Farlina Said, fellow in Cyber and Technology Policy at ISIS Malaysia, and Adilah Junid, Director of Legal and Government Affairs at Microsoft Malaysia.
Consider This: Multidimensional Poverty in the 21st Century
Despite decades of progress, poverty continues to trap millions in cycles of deprivation, and conventional measures often fail to reflect the full scope of their struggles. The Multidimensional Poverty Index, developed by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative, offers a revolutionary way to understand and address poverty by looking at deprivations in education, health, and living standards. On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks with Professor Dr Sabina Alkire, Director of the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative. Together with Professor James Foster, she developed the Alkire-Foster method for measuring multidimensional poverty.
Consider This: Who Is Middle Class, Really?
For years, Malaysia has relied on the B40, M40, and T20 income classifications to shape policies and understand the nation’s economic strata. But recent debate sparked Budget 2025’s reference to ‘the T15’— said the wealthiest segment of the population— has exposed fault lines in our framework of economic stratification. A recent working paper from the Khazanah Research Institute, titled Searching for the ‘Poor’ and ‘Middle Class’ in Malaysia, challenges the very foundation of these categories and proposes new classifications to better reflect Malaysians economic realities. If the middle class isn’t what we thought it was, what does that mean for subsidy rationalisation and targeted benefits? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks with Dr Suraya Ismail, Director of Research at Khazanah Research Institute and Gregory Ho, Research Associate, Khazanah Research Institute.
Consider This: DRG Pricing (Part 2) — The Right Prescription for Healthcare Costs?
Medical costs are rising, and so are the premiums for health insurance. To tackle this, the Malaysian government is considering introducing a Diagnosis-Related Group pricing system. But is DRG the right prescription for Malaysia’s healthcare woes, or will it create new challenges for hospitals, doctors, and patients alike? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks with Datuk Dr Ahmad Faizal Mohd Perdaus, Consultant respiratory physician at KPJ Damansara Specialist Hospital. He is also the President of MERCY Malaysia.
Consider This: DRG Pricing (Part 1) — The Right Prescription for Healthcare Costs?
Medical costs are rising, and so are the premiums for health insurance. To tackle this, the Malaysian government is considering introducing a Diagnosis-Related Group pricing system. But is DRG the right prescription for Malaysia’s healthcare woes, or will it create new challenges for hospitals, doctors, and patients alike? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks with Azrul Mohd Khalib, CEO of the Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy.
Consider This: Rights of Older Persons — Upholding Human Rights of Older Malaysians
Ageing populations are a growing reality worldwide, and Malaysia is no exception. But are we doing enough to uphold the human rights of older persons as they face challenges like access to healthcare, financial security, and age discrimination? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Dr Claudia Mahler, the UN Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons.
Consider This: World Bank Report — Seizing the Service Economy: Is Malaysia Ready?
In a region long associated with manufacturing-led growth, the services sector is quietly but significantly transforming economies in East Asia and the Pacific. According to a newly released World Bank report, services are now contributing more to labour productivity growth than manufacturing—with exports and foreign direct investment in services outpacing traditional goods industries. In Malaysia, this shift could redefine how we think about economic development, digital innovation, and even gender equality in the workplace. But is Malaysia doing enough to harness this momentum, and how prepared are we to navigate the challenges of reform and competition in this space? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks with Dr Aaditya Mattoo, Chief Economist, East Asia and Pacific, World Bank.
Consider This: Humanitarian Crises — Negotiating Aid
2024 has been a year of unrelenting humanitarian crises—conflict and violence inflicted on so many, the climate crisis displacing millions, and all of it, ultimately, caused by human actions. But amidst the chaos, there’s still hope. On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks with Alexander Matheou, Regional Director of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) for Asia Pacific. We explore the work of the IFRC in Afghanistan and Myanmar, and the lessons humanitarian diplomacy has taught us that hope isn’t passive but built through action, advocacy, and collaboration.
Consider This: Teens, Tech & Trust (Part 2) — Building Digital Resilience
In Malaysia, 75% of teenagers use social media daily—but with this constant connection comes a growing number of risks. A new report by the think tank SERI titled ‘Teens, Tech, and Trust’ reveals that fewer than half of Malaysian teens feel safe online— with cyberbullying, scams, and hacking being everyday realities. Meanwhile, questions are being raised about whether schools, parents, and even social media platforms are doing enough to protect our young digital citizens. On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks with Dr Benjamin Loh, senior lecturer at Taylor’s University School of Media and Communication and director of the Impact Lab for Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.