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Beyond the Ballot Box

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.

news politics

All Episodes

42:15

Reflections on the 79th Anniversary of Hiroshima Bombing

Beyond the Ballot Box ·

2024/08/06

It's been 79 years today since the US dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, a moment that forever changed the course of history. This event has impacted people's perception towards nuclear energy, especially in terms of policy making over the past several decades. We will be delving into the anniversary's significance, the impact on Japanese and Malaysian victims, and current reflections. Joining us on the show today to discuss this is Aaron Denison, a doctoral candidate at Hiroshima University.See

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46:01

Sivaranjani, New Sec Gen of PSM on Building Left...

Beyond the Ballot Box ·

2024/08/01

Sivaranjani Manickam has been elected the new secretary-general of Parti Sosialis Malaysia at its 26th national congress, which took place at the end of July. Sivaranjani who was formerly the Workers’ Bureau Coordinator of the party takes the reigns from Sivarajan Arumugam, who was the sec-gen for 9 years. She’s been an activist for more than 20 years, been a member of PSM for almost as long and has also worked for UNHCR.We speak to Sivaranjani about activism and building left movements.See

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42:48

Why Did Palestinian Forces Sign Unity Agreement in...

Beyond the Ballot Box ·

2024/07/30

On the 23rd of July, 12 Palestinian factions including Hamas and the PLO (led by Fatah) signed a “national unity” agreement. The agreement was signed in China and according to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the deal was struck after three days of intensive talks and negotiations, laying the foundation for an “interim national reconciliation government.”But why did this deal need to be struck in the first place? And what does it mean for the future of Palestine?We speak to Muslim Imran, Founding

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49:32

Reflections on James C. Scott’s Views of Resistance,...

Beyond the Ballot Box ·

2024/07/25

James C. Scott, a prominent American political scientist and anthropologist passed away at 87, on the 19th of July 2024. Scott was known for his work on how the working class and marginalized resist and evade domination by powerful groups, be it the ultra wealthy or the state.Scott is best known for his book 1985 ‘Weapons of the Weak: Everyday Forms of Peasant Resistance’ where he studied seventy families in a Malaysian village. Some of his other important books include ‘Seeing Like a State’ and

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47:14

Ethical Solutions for Domestic Worker Recruitment

Beyond the Ballot Box ·

2024/07/23

The hiring of migrant domestic workers has for many decades been one of the important options for a segment of Malaysian households to help with care responsibilities at home. At times, the hiring of migrant domestic workers creates an enabling environment for both parents to go to work.However, the industry is often plagued by corruption, unethical practices, and even human trafficking. There’s also the lack of appreciation and mistreatment of domestic workers.These are exactly the issues that

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37:49

How Colonialism Shapes National Identity

Beyond the Ballot Box ·

2024/07/18

CounterArchive: Fictional Healing is a project co-curated by Ong Jo-Lene and Rebecca Yeoh, and involves activating British archival materials from the Malayan Emergency. In light of that project, we will be exploring some of its themes across a few episodes. *******************National identity and memory are crucial elements of a nation's cultural fabric, reflecting its collective experiences and values. So, what does this mean for nations which were former colonies of empires, such as Malaysia

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50:22

Malaysia Must Push For Peace & Justice For Rohingyas

Beyond the Ballot Box ·

2024/07/16

There is a revolution ongoing in Myanmar. But where do the ethnic minority Rohingyas fit into this picture? After all, the Rohingya people have been subject to oppression, dispossession and genocide for decades, even before the recent coup.Also, Malaysia will be taking up the role of chair of ASEAN from 2025. So, what can we do to push for peace and justice for the Rohingya community?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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47:15

Does the MADANI Branding Capture the Imagination of...

Beyond the Ballot Box ·

2024/07/11

Malaysia is polarised. Far-right, ultra-conservative majoritarian movements are gaining traction. This is reflected in the election results of GE15 but we’d be wrong to think that this is just about PAS or one political party. We’re talking about a movement that is rapidly capturing the imagination of young Malays, reshaping how they view themselves in relation to others and this nation.A period like this requires an antidote in the form of a clear alternative vision for Malaysia – A progressive

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46:00

Unpacking the Results of the 2024 UK & France Elections

Beyond the Ballot Box ·

2024/07/09

It was a historic defeat for the Conservative Tory Party, led by Rishi Sunak at the 2024 UK General Election, losing more than half the seats they previously held. The Conservatives have been in power for 14 years.In that same vein, the Labour Party led by Sir Kier Starmer saw a massive victory, winning 412 of the 650 seats available.Separately, the second round of the French Legislative Elections saw the Left-wing coalition New Popular Front led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon defeat both the Far-Right led

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42:33

15 Years of Injustice: Remembering Teoh Beng Hock

Beyond the Ballot Box ·

2024/07/04

Teoh Beng Hock was once a promising young journalist and political aide to a member of the Selangor state legislative assembly from Pakatan Rakyat. In 2009, he was called in for a MACC investigation. He was later found dead on the rooftop of a building near the MACC offices. His unexplained death has sparked public outcry and ongoing calls for justice and accountability.However, 15 years in, there is still no justice for Teoh Beng Hock and no closure for his family. On the 13-16 of July, the Teoh

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41:42

Why We Need a Cradle-to-Grave Care Economy Framework

Beyond the Ballot Box ·

2024/07/02

Malaysia is becoming an ageing society and concurrently, there are changes in family structures. People are growing older, living longer, choosing to have less children or no children and unlike our grandparents' time, big families generally don’t tend to live under one roof anymore, for various reasons. This may not be an issue in and of itself but the problem arises because our current economic framework does not take into account these shifts, and unless changes happen quickly, there are going to

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51:07

Freedom Flotilla Coalition: Sailing For Palestine

Beyond the Ballot Box ·

2024/06/27

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) is a global grassroots movement aiming to end Gaza's blockade, address the humanitarian crisis, and support Palestinian rights. And they do so, interestingly… by sailing!In this episode, we speak with James Godfrey, visiting from Australia, who volunteers on the international steering committee for the Freedom Flotilla Coalition.The latest FFC missions are preparing to sail to Gaza in the coming weeks. One is a small boat which is stopping in European and

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47:42

How Did the Right-Wing Make Big Gains in the EU...

Beyond the Ballot Box ·

2024/06/25

The European Union Parliamentary Elections took place from the 6th - 9th of June and saw far-right parties make big gains. The mainstream centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) maintained the most seats of any single group in the legislative body, but the far-right ultra-conservatives have now almost one-quarter of the total seats.So, how did this happen, and what does it mean for the future?Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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49:18

Who Are the Bajau Laut and Why Destroy Their Houses?

Beyond the Ballot Box ·

2024/06/20

Recently, the Bajau Laut community in Semporna, Sabah were evicted from their homes by authorities. The Indigenous stateless population saw their stilt and boathouses demolished and burned down, leaving them with nothing and nowhere to go. So, why was this done? Is it because of national and state security, a reason so often given by the political elites? Well, a few days after the eviction, news broke that a 21-acre Housing and Urban Development Board (LPPB) land in Kampung Air, Semporna will be

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48:19

The Real Problem: Inequality, Not Refugees

Beyond the Ballot Box ·

2024/06/18

There are about 189,340 refugees and asylum-seekers registered with UNHCR in Malaysia. These are only the ones registered under UNHCR, which means the actual figure is likely much, much higher. And it’s only going to go up in the near future, given the ongoing civil war in Myanmar, genocide in Gaza and conflicts on the rise in various parts of the world. The question is, what can and should we do about it?We speak to Dr Melati Nungsari, Associate Professor of Economics and the Deputy Dean of

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47:15

India Elections 2024: When Winners Feel Like Losers &...

Beyond the Ballot Box ·

2024/06/13

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu Supremacist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) faced a shocking setback in the recent general elections. The BJP is still the most popular party in India, winning 240 seats in Parliament. However, they fell short of the 272-seat majority needed to form the government by themselves. This contrasts the past two elections in which BJP won comfortable majorities. Although the BJP and its allies in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured 283 seats

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47:38

Everything You Need to Know About the Diesel Subsidy...

Beyond the Ballot Box ·

2024/06/11

On the 10th of June, the Malaysian government officially implemented the Diesel Subsidy reform, moving away from decades-old blanket subsidies. The Prime Minister has stressed that this move will save the government billions of ringgit annually and discourage smuggling and corruption. The government also said that the burden of removing these subsidies will only be felt by the T20 income earners and will not impact the B40 and M40.So, what are the potential long-term benefits of this reform and are

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48:18

Nurul Izzah on Racial Polarisation, Far-Right...

Beyond the Ballot Box ·

2024/06/04

Israel has continued its destruction of Gaza and refugee camps in Rafah. Around 40 000 Palestinians have been killed, half of whom are children. Besides “weak” statements about “red lines” The United States of America, currently led by Joe Biden, has continued to give their full backing to Israel.But a couple of things for Malaysians to ponder. One, are we doing enough to help Palestinians? Two, why is it that in many parts of the world, the struggle for Palestinian liberation has reinvigorated

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48:43

Bersih Congress 2024 Post-Mortem

Beyond the Ballot Box ·

2024/05/29

Last week, the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections held the Bersih Congress 2024. Close to 300 highly energetic people packed the Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall to discuss the future of the nation. On top of panel discussions, there were also motions that were debated and passed. These motions will be part of Bersih’s agenda moving forward.We discuss this with Wong Yan Ke, Deputy Chairperson of Bersih.Image Credit: FacebookSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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46:42

Robert Reich on Why Understanding Inequality is Key...

Beyond the Ballot Box ·

2024/05/28

The mainstream narrative over the past several decades suggests that inequality is not a significant concern; That so long as the material conditions are going up on average, inequality doesn’t matter; That as long as you’re raising the income ceiling and the floor, the gap between the rich and the poor, the haves and the have nots does not matter. But here’s the thing: It does matter!Understanding inequality is incredibly important, not just to make sense of the economy as a whole but to make sense

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382 results

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