Consider This: UMNO General Assembly (Part 2) — Will Nenggiri Spark a Revival?

Recently a delegation of Penan from Mulu travelled over 500 kilometres to submit a petition to the Sarawak government, calling for the designation of Magoh as a UNESCO biosphere reserve, where logging activities threaten the home to the last semi-nomadic Penan tribe. But will UNESCO status be enough to protect one of Malaysia's last untouched forests and the home of the Penan people, from further destruction? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Komeok Joe, Head of Keruan, which is a grassroots Penan civil society group.

Recently a delegation of Penan from the Upper Baram River Basin submitted a petition with over 500 signatures to the Sarawak government, urging an immediate halt to logging activities in the Baram Peace Park. What challenges do Indigenous communities face when it comes to protecting their lands and their way of life? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Celine Lim, Managing Director of SAVE Rivers, which is a grassroots NGO based in Sarawak that advocates for the rights of Indigenous communities, especially in relation to land rights and environmental protection.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim recently announced salary increases for civil servants, ranging from 7-15%. This move, while welcomed by many civil servants, raises expectations for improved public service delivery and other civil service reforms. On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Professor Dr Roselina Ahmad Saufi, Professor at Universiti Malaysia Kelantan’s Graduate School of Entrepreneurship & Business.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim recently announced salary increases for civil servants, ranging from 7-15%. This move, while welcomed by many civil servants, raises expectations for improved public service delivery and other civil service reforms. On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Dr Lee Hwok Aun
Senior Fellow of the Regional Economic Studies Programme at the ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore and Co-coordinator of its Malaysia Studies Programme.

In recent months, Malaysia has witnessed an unsettling surge in cases of crime, violence, and abuse towards children. As reports of these crimes continue to rise, so do questions about how effectively our society is protecting its youngest members. Could we be doing more to prevent these tragic incidents, and what role should schools, families, and the law play in addressing this growing concern? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Dr Farah Nini Dusuki, Children's Commissioner to SUHAKAM.

Malaysia’s destination islands are facing a growing challenge that can no longer be ignored— unsustainable waste management. It threatens not only the environment but also the health of local communities and the future of tourism in Malaysia. Will the tourism industry and local authorities step up to save Malaysia’s destination islands from this growing waste crisis, or are we already seeing irreversible damage? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Cher Chua-Lassalvy, Managing Director of Batu Batu Resort in Mersing, Johor, and President of the Tengah Island Conservation under the Tunku Abdul Jalil Conservation Centre.

Malaysia’s destination islands are facing a growing challenge that can no longer be ignored— unsustainable waste management. It threatens not only the environment but also the health of local communities and the future of tourism in Malaysia. Will the tourism industry and local authorities step up to save Malaysia’s destination islands from this growing waste crisis, or are we already seeing irreversible damage? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Adjunct Professor Anthony Wong, Managing Director at Frangipani Resort and Spa in Langkawi. He’s also a sustainability expert in wastewater, and a Technical Advisory Member of UNDP’s Council on Sustainable Tourism.

A study published last year showed the increasing prevalence of the ‘triple burden’ of child malnutrition in Malaysia—the coexistence of stunting, obesity and micronutrient deficiencies in children aged 6 months to 12 years. Are we acting fast enough to prevent this from becoming a generational health crisis? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to consultant paediatrician Dr Musa Nordin.

A study published last year showed the increasing prevalence of the ‘triple burden’ of child malnutrition in Malaysia—the coexistence of stunting, obesity and micronutrient deficiencies in children aged 6 months to 12 years. Are we acting fast enough to prevent this from becoming a generational health crisis? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to the Principal Investigator for Malaysia for the Southeast Asian Nutrition Survey 2019-2020, Professor Dr Poh Bee Koon. She is Professor of Nutrition at the Center for Community Health Studies under UKM’s Faculty of Health Sciences, where she specialises in childhood and adolescent nutrition.

For years Polish scientist and entomologist Marta Skowron-Volponi has ventured into the jungles of Peninsular Malaysia to study moths, making remarkable discoveries along the way. But her journey took a different turn when she learned about the rapid decline of the Malayan Tiger, and together with her Italian filmmaker husband, Paolo Volponi, joined the fight against poaching and habitat destruction. On this episode of #ConisderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Marta Skowron-Volponi and Paolo Volponi about protecting the few remaining Malayan Tigers in the wild.

Seven years ago today, more than 700,000 Rohingya fled targeted persecution in Myanmar, marking the beginning of one of the world’s most protracted refugee crises. Today, the situation remains critical as violence intensifies in Rakhine and other states, with the humanitarian situation rapidly deteriorating. On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Shinjiro Murata, General Director of Médecins Sans Frontières Japan, who has recently returned from Myanmar after visiting MSF projects there.

Seven years ago today, more than 700,000 Rohingya fled targeted persecution in Myanmar, marking the beginning of one of the world’s most protracted refugee crises. Today, the situation remains critical as violence intensifies in Rakhine and other states, with the humanitarian situation rapidly deteriorating. On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Dr Md Nadim Shahariyar, Interim Hospital Director of Kutupalong Hospital in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh.

Umno is gathering for its 2024 General Assembly, re-energised from its recent victory in reclaiming the Nenggiri state assembly seat from Perikatan Nasional with a healthy majority. Will Nenggiri prove to be a turning point for the waning party, or was it just an isolated victory in a traditionally strong UMNO seat? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Dr Azmil Mohd Tayeb, Associate Professor at USM’s School of Social Sciences.

Umno is gathering for its 2024 General Assembly, re-energised from its recent victory in reclaiming the Nenggiri state assembly seat from Perikatan Nasional with a healthy majority. Will Nenggiri prove to be a turning point for the waning party, or was it just an isolated victory in a traditionally strong UMNO seat? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Dr Syaza Shukri, Associate Professor of Political Science at International Islamic University Malaysia, IIUM.

Under the Madani Inclusive Housing initiative, the Prime Minister has mandated that all future housing projects allocate one or two blocks for lower-income groups. This initiative targets major cities like KL, Selangor, and Penang, where the affordability crisis is most acute. But will this bold move provide a sustainable solution for affordable housing in our cities, or are there unintended consequences we haven't yet considered? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks to Kashif Ansari, Co-Founder and Group CEO of the real estate data company, Juwai IQI.