Category: Opinion

NOW comes the million-ringgit question splitting uncles at mamaks and aunties on Facebook like a nasi lemak sambal war: Should Malaysians get their EPF as a monthly allowance – like school pocket money – or in one glorious lump sum, jackpot-style? But here is the latest plot twist: Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying says… Continue reading Your EPF, Makcik’s spicy take

EVERY so often, something happens in Malaysia that makes you stop and think: “Do we actually understand what inclusion means or are we just paying lip service?” Here is one example. In a well-known commercial complex, bays located right next to a centre for children and youths with cerebral palsy are being reclassified as “preferred… Continue reading Stop putting price tag on inclusion

THE feeling is one mixed with exuberance and exhilaration. A sudden sense of achievement washed over me like the fresh rays of the morning sun, unadulterated and real. Entering the seventh decade of my existence, I welcomed it with profound joy. This is not just another birthday; it is the year I can scream with… Continue reading Thriving at 60: Living fully and beyond

THE recent detention of an enforcement officer at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 has renewed public scrutiny over a clandestine practice known as “counter-setting”. This tactic, where individuals are allowed to bypass formal immigration procedures, raises serious concerns not only regarding border security and official corruption but also about structural vulnerabilities in Malaysia’s… Continue reading Counter-setting and migrant abuse

Q: As a successful career executive, I am honoured to be approached by headhunters offering better positions across the country. I want to provide the best for my wife and children. What family principles should I consider when weighing my options? Focus on the Family Malaysia: A career change can be a tremendous opportunity but… Continue reading Choose wisely when making career move

LIFE is noisy. And I don’t mean the traffic jams or construction drills outside your office window. It is the constant ping of notifications. The flood of messages, emails, deadlines and expectations. Everyone – and everything – seems to want a piece of your attention. We rarely realise it but attention is a precious currency… Continue reading Sound of silence: When doing nothing is everything

EVERY year, during the UPU system’s kemaskini period, those of us in civil society and NGOs serving OKUs brace ourselves for the flood of panicked pleas from disabled students desperate to pursue higher education yet denied their rightful course choices because of arbitrary and discriminatory restrictions imposed on them. Despite repeated assurances from the Ministry… Continue reading Open Letter from the OKU and Advocacy Community: Discriminatory UPU Admission Filtering Must Be Urgently Addressed

THE announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim of a RM40 billion allocation for healthcare under the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13), including the construction of Hospital Tuanku Ja’afar 2 in Seremban, has been met with optimism and public gratitude. The plan, which also includes Hospital Sultanah Aminah 2 in Johor Bahru, the Northern Region… Continue reading New hospitals a welcome step but who will staff them?

THIS apparent conversation was recorded in a Republican leader’s handphone with an erased TikTok account. The phone is alleged to have Chinese component chips and parts, including from Taiwan, capable of being activated by hackers. Both the phone and recording are currently being scrutinised by the FBI. Participants in the hacked conversation include Republican senior… Continue reading Satire of China’s TikTok Trojan Horse

WHEN the government announced the expansion of the Sales and Service Tax (SST) starting July 1, many Malaysians focused on the rising cost of goods. However, less attention has been given to how this policy – and the earlier increase in sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) excise duties – can shape the health of our next generation.… Continue reading Redirect taxes for a healthier future

MALAYSIA’S push towards a digital future is picking up steam, with over a quarter of GDP projected to be accounted for by the end of 2025. While government policies and partnerships are laying the groundwork, the real shift is happening behind closed doors. It could be on factory floors, in back offices and across shop… Continue reading Closing digital gap with vibe coding

AS the United States continues to impose tariffs on a broad spectrum of imported goods, Milton Friedman’s timeless lesson about the lead pencil is more relevant than ever. In his influential television series Free to Choose, Friedman – recipient of the 1976 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences – used the seemingly mundane pencil to demonstrate… Continue reading Friedman’s pencil and lessons in international trade

ALRIGHT, listen up, my dearies – Makcik is about to serve you a hot pot of truth, simmered with sass, marinated in empathy and seasoned with just enough cili padi to make your soul itch. We are talking about bullying – in schools, offices, family WhatsApp groups, even in the JPN queue where someone cuts… Continue reading Kindness is the new superpower

IN today’s digital economy, subscribing to a service takes only seconds but cancelling it can take hours, repeated calls, or in some cases, a change of credit card just to stop the charges. The National Consumer Complaints Centre (NCCC) has received a growing number of complaints from Malaysian consumers who feel trapped in unwanted subscriptions,… Continue reading Digital subscriptions: Easy to join, hard to cancel

AMIDST silence and stigma, the numbers continue to rise. Malaysia is facing a growing crisis of underage sexual activity but existing norms, policies and school systems are failing to respond with the urgency the data demands. Just two months ago, Berita Harian reported a 17% spike in such cases in Kelantan during the first quarter… Continue reading Silent crisis of underage teens

WE all make mistakes – some big, some small. But now, thanks to social media, a single wrong move can become a viral moment and sometimes ruin lives. That is the harsh reality of cancel culture. At first, cancel culture seemed like a good thing. It gave power to the people. When celebrities or companies… Continue reading Cancel culture: When accountability becomes public execution

USING the “buy now, pay later” (BNPL) scheme for the first time felt harmless. Just three easy payments for a pair of shoes that were not really necessary. It seemed like a smart move at the time – no interest, no hassle and no guilt. But that mindset is exactly what gets so many young… Continue reading Buy now, pay later: A convenient trap for young Malaysians

AS China’s high-value industrial exports capture a growing share of global markets, the US and EU have pursued separate but complementary policies aimed to push back against this unprecedented threat to Western dominance in international trade and the economic order. The criticisms levelled by Washington and Brussels to counter the Chinese exports impacting their domestic… Continue reading China’s ‘overcapacity’: Facts and fiction

CLIMATE change is a reality that is affecting communities around the globe, including Malaysia. Rising temperatures, erratic weather patterns and environmental degradation are becoming increasingly severe. While global and national efforts largely focus on reducing carbon emissions, Malaysia’s adaptation strategies remain fragmented and insufficient. Malaysia has made commitments through international agreements, such as the Paris… Continue reading Enhancing resilience to climate change

THE Association for Welfare, Community and Dialogue (Acid), part of the global family, welcomes French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement to recognise Palestinian statehood. It is particularly significant because France is a major power in the European Union, and its recognition of a Palestinian statehood could inspire other reluctant EU nations to follow suit. In the… Continue reading Genocide, starvation in Gaza stir global conscience

FEAR the Jumbotron – once just a brand name, now a big-screen moment waiting to happen. It doesn’t care if you are in love, in denial or deep in someone else’s problems. It does not wait for backstory, disclaimers or context. One accidental close-up and bam – your private moment becomes public property, broadcast in… Continue reading Love, lies and LED lights

HEALTH Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad recently revealed that 2,293 patients are currently waiting for cardiothoracic surgery in government hospitals, with some having to wait for up to seven months. For children’s heart surgeries, the situation is even more worrisome, with 603 cases on the waiting list and an average wait time of 21… Continue reading Wake-up call for our healthcare system

IT is early morning in Kuala Lumpur. The city begins to stir as shopfronts open, food stalls prepare their first orders and delivery vans roll through narrow lanes. Notifications appear on screens. Chatbots reply to customers instantly. Inventory updates arrive before a single word is spoken. Artificial intelligence (AI) is now part of the micro-,… Continue reading Powering next wave of MSME with AI

MALAYSIA’S M40 is quietly slipping – under the weight of rising costs, overlooked needs and outdated assumptions. While prices are climbing and salaries are stagnant, public policy still treats the middle class as if it is doing just fine. That is the magic trick: you can earn about RM6,000 a month, have two children, juggle… Continue reading Middle class on paper, drowning in reality

AT a time when Malaysia must accelerate its climate transition, can we afford foreign and domestic policy shocks that will destabilise our climate finance and green technology agenda? The recent announcement by US President Donald Trump to impose a sweeping 25% tariff on “any and all Malaysian products” starting Aug 1 has jolted Malaysia’s economy… Continue reading How tariffs, taxes can derail climate ambitions

GEN Z is forming real bonds with unreal people. As AI industry grows, so does the rise of AI girlfriends and boyfriends – digital companions that are capturing hearts. But what does this mean for love? “He always listens. He remembers everything I say. He never judges me.” That is how teenagers on Tiktok describe… Continue reading Falling for bots: ‘You had me at hello’