Beyond the Ballot Box

BFM Media
  • 0,0 (0)
  • Politica
  • Ogni settimana

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.

  1. 15 h fa

    Ones to Watch #2 - What Motivates Young Politicians?

    The average age of members of Parliament in Malaysia is a staggering 52.4 years old. So, why would young people want to join politics? What motivates them?  In the second episode of Ones to Watch, we speak to Cassel Krishnan, Melaka DAPSY chief and a violin teacher on his journey into politics, and the challenges youth face in rising in party leadership.  Listen to the first episode here.Image Credit: Cikgu Cassel Facebook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    44 min

  2. 2 gg fa

    How Will Johor Transform Over the Next Decade?

    We're just a few days away from the Johor state election on the 11th of July. As Johor positions itself to become one of Malaysia's most important economic engines, with the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone aiming to attract major investments and high-value industries, questions are also being asked about who stands to benefit from that growth.  Will these investments translate into better wages, better jobs and higher living standards for ordinary Johoreans, or will the gains be unevenly shared? So, on the road to the elections, we discuss Johor's political-economic trajectory, and what kind of future the state is really building, with Dr Francis Hutchinson, Principal Fellow & Coordinator of the Malaysia Studies Programme, ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.  Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    46 min

  3. 2 lug

    Ones to Watch #1: UNDI 18, Buyers Regret?

    1.2 million youth became eligible voters when Malaysia lowered the voting age to 18 in 2019. As Malaysia enters another season of elections, are youth ready to step up to participate in national politics? Nurul Rifayah, a youth activist and Ahmed Faris, CEO of Impact Integrated, walk us through reflections on the past four years of youth in politics. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    45 min

  4. 30 giu

    What Explains Malaysia’s Long-Standing Low Wage Problem?

    The big perennial problem in Malaysia is wages. A lot of Malaysians today feel they're working harder but not getting ahead—they're either experiencing stagnant incomes or finding themselves worse off than the generation before—because wages remain stubbornly low. Despite years of economic growth, many households continue to struggle with the rising cost of living, raising fundamental questions about whether the benefits of that growth are being shared fairly. So, what’s the deal with wages in Malaysia? In this episode, we unpack this topic with Dr Matthew Dornan, Senior Economist at the World Bank. The World Bank has recently produced a study called Raising the Ceiling, Raising the Floor: The Jobs Agenda as a Productivity Agenda for Malaysia.  Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    42 min

  5. 25 giu

    Why Malaysia Needs a More Robust Refugee Framework

    According to UNHCR, there are about 117 million asylum seekers worldwide as of 2025. In Malaysia, approximately 200,000 refugees and asylum seekers are registered with UNHCR, with estimates suggesting the actual number may be significantly higher. In past interviews, we’ve talked extensively about some of the challenges faced by refugees.  The truth is, whether we “like” them or not, so long as people in parts of the world are getting bombed, ethnically cleansed and facing severe persecution, there will be refugees. And they will go wherever that makes the most sense geographically and logistically, for safety.  In this episode, we explore a few angles, including why there’s been a rise of anti-Rohingya sentiment in recent weeks, if refugees are a strain to public services and whether the new DPP – Dokumen Pendaftaran Pelarian or Refugee Registration Document – by the government is a step in the right direction.  We speak to Aira Azhari, CEO, Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS).  Recommended reading:  The Economic Impact of Granting Refugees in Malaysia the Right to Work.  Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    39 min

  6. 23 giu

    Is Liberalism Fading? What Comes Next?

    Since the end of World War II, the world has been underpinned by a particular global economic system: Liberalism. This has solidified further since the end of the Cold War and has remained largely unchanged for decades. However, for various reasons that we will unpack throughout this conversation, that world is fading. So, amidst the increasingly fluid geopolitical landscape, will a different order take shape? Arividya Arimuthu, a senior fellow at the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia, wrote an article titled From progressive liberalisation to strategic protection: The quiet rewriting of trade doctrine, which explores exactly this. She joins me on the show today to unpack this further.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    47 min

  7. 18 giu

    The Big Political and Economic Challenges Facing Malaysia

    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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    59 min

  8. 16 giu

    Malaysia’s Death Formula

    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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    43 min
Elenco completo (428)

Descrizione

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.

Informazioni

  • Creatore
    BFM Media
  • Anni di attività
    2021 - 2026
  • Puntate
    428
  • Classificazione
    Contenuti adatti a tutti
  • Sito web del podcast
    Beyond the Ballot Box

Potrebbero piacerti anche…