Carian mengenai topik Part 1

The Bornean elephant has recently been classified as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species. What needs to be done now to ensure the survival of Borneo’s elephant population? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to conservation biologist Dr Nurzhafarina Othman, Senior lecturer at Universiti Malaysia Sabah. She’s an expert on the Bornean Elephant, and also the founder of Project Seratu Aatai, which is a collective in Sabah that aims to promote coexistence between elephants and humans through research and education.

A remarkable discovery in Malaysia’s Bujang Valley has uncovered a 1,200-year-old Buddha statue and stupa, thought to date back to the 8th or 9th century. This find at the Bukit Choras archaeological heritage site in Yan, Kedah, may even predate the renowned Angkor Wat and Borobudur. On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Dr Nasha Rodziadi Khaw, leader of the Bukit Choras archaeological project and senior at USM’s Centre for Global Archaeology Research.

While court processes are daunting for adults, they can be even more intimidating for children. Many young victims face immense stress and often give up seeking justice before the process concludes. Last year, Parliament took a significant step forward by amending the Evidence of Child Witness Act, providing more rights and protections to children testifying in court. Now new amendments to the Evidence of Child Witness Act are being proposed. These changes aim to create a more supportive courtroom environment, ensuring children can provide their best evidence. On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Sharmila Sekaran, Chairperson of Voice of the Children.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is in a fierce battle to retain his position, facing a formidable challenge from Labour leader Keir Starmer. As the Conservatives brace for what could be a historic defeat, all eyes are on whether Labour will secure a decisive victory. However, is it a foregone conclusion? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Hafiz Marzukhi speaks to UM's Assoc Prof Dr Roy Anthony Rogers, Deputy Executive Director (Development, Research, & Innovation), Asia Europe Institute

A new eye-opening investigative report by MalaysiaKini’s Kini News Lab has shed light on the substantial pensions awaiting elected representatives after their tenure. The report highlights how some MPs are eligible for more than one pension due to holding different positions across their careers. Should MPs be entitled to multiple pensions for their various roles that they’ve served? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Ooi Choon Nam, Senior Journalist at Malaysiakini, and Aidila Razak, Special Reports Editor at Malaysiakini.

A recent study, published in the Environmental Science and Technology journal, found that Malaysia has the highest per capita microplastic consumption amongst 109 countries. Malaysia is also among the top ten countries that inhales the most microplastic particles each day. How are these invisible pollutants entering our lives, and what can be done to stop it from continuing to happen? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Professor Dr K. Sudesh Kumar, Professor of Applied Microbiology at USM’s School of Biological Sciences.

More than 500 people from the Bajau Laut community in Semporna, Sabah, were evicted by the authorities last week, and their stilt houses demolished, some even burned. The plight of the Bajau Laut has since dominated national attention after several video recordings of the incident were uploaded to social media with the hashtag #PandangKeSabah. On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Mukmin Nantang, founder of the Sabah-based NGO Borneo Komrad, who first uploaded the now viral videos. For almost a decade, Borneo Komrad has been running Sekolah-Sekolah Alternatif, which provides free education for stateless, undocumented, and under-served children in Sabah.

The Malaysian palm oil sector, which is the second-largest producer globally after Indonesia, is facing mounting challenges, particularly from the European Union's incoming Deforestation Regulation. This regulation aims to halt the sale of any products linked to deforestation in its markets. Despite efforts to promote sustainability through certification schemes like MSPO and RSPO, questions remain: Can certification alone redeem palm oil's tarnished reputation? And how might the EU’s new regulation impact smallholders, who produce about 40% of the total output of palm oil in Malaysia? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Dr Serina Rahman, Lecturer at the Department of Southeast Asian Studies at National University of Singapore, where her research interests include political ecology through the lens of environmental anthropology and ethnography.

In November 2022, the world’s population surpassed 8 billion people—we’ve added a billion people in just 12 years and expected to add another 2 billion persons in the next 30 years. Crossing this milestone raises important questions concerning the impact of human activities on the planet and its ability to sustain life for humans and other species. What are the implications of 8 billion people on planetary health and sustainability? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to John Wilmoth, Director of the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, which leads the monitoring of global demographic indicators. John Wilmoth was a speaker at the International Social Wellbeing Conference 2024, organised by EPF.

In his latest book ‘The System: Who Rigged It, How We Fix It’, Robert Reich argues that power and wealth in the US are concentrated within the same group of wealthy individuals and corporations who hold much power over the economy. Are there parallels in other countries like Malaysia? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Robert Reich, Chancellor’s Professor of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley. He is co-creator of the award-winning documentary film Inequality for All, and the co-founder of Inequality Media. He has served in three US administrations, including as Secretary of Labor in the Clinton Administration, for which Time Magazine named him one of the ten most effective cabinet secretaries of the twentieth century. Robert Reich was a speaker at the International Social Wellbeing Conference 2024, organised by EPF.

According to the most recent National Health and Morbidity Survey, one million individuals aged 15 and above in Malaysia are suffering from depression, with half of them harbouring thoughts of self-harm or thinking they were “better off dead”. Equally concerning is that the data also reveals that mental health problems among children have more than doubled since 2019, now affecting one in six children. How can we translate this data into effective national policies that go beyond addressing awareness and stigma, to ensure robust institutional support and comprehensive care for mental health? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Associate Professor Dr Amer Siddiq Amer Nordin, Consultant Psychiatrist at Universiti Malaya.

Penang’s LRT system, The Mutiara Line, recently received Cabinet approval for construction to commence, expected to break ground in the fourth quarter of this year. However, not everyone is convinced that an LRT system is Penang’s best option. Some advocate for a trackless tram system, an Autonomous Rapid Transit, or ART. What would best serve Penang’s transportation needs? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Dr Rosli Khan, Partner and Managing Director of the consultancy firm, MDS Traffic Planners & Consultants.

Malaysia's rental market has often been criticised for lacking proper regulation, relying instead on tenancy agreements and contract law. Could a Residential Tenancy Act bring about fairer practices in the rental market? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Dr Suraya Ismail, Director of Research at Khazanah Research Institute, where she focuses on Housing, Cities and Urbanisation.

Recent incidents of falling trees that killed a motorist and damaged vehicles and property, have highlighted the pressing need for better tree management policies in urban areas. Following these incidents, DBKL has since been instructed to closely monitor and maintain the shade trees in the capital city, and as a short-term measure, to cut down the trees that have already been identified as at risk of falling. Knowing the benefits of having trees in our cities, how can we create conditions that allow them to thrive despite the hostile environment they have to grow in? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Koh Cha-Ly, Founder and CEO of Urbanmetry, a data company which uses proprietary algorithms to analyse big data from cities. She is also a member of the World Economic Forum's Global Commission for Nature Positive Cities.

To commemorate National Teachers’ Day on May 16th, #ConsiderThis aims to shine a light on the very heartbeat of the education system — teachers — honouring and celebrating those who go above and beyond for the students under their care. In this episode, Melisa Idris speaks to Constance Yuen, CEO of Pemimpin GSL, an organisation focused on strengthening leadership in schools, and the organiser of the Malaysia Teacher Prize.