New Naratif founder PJ Thum and editor-in-chief Jacob Goldberg reflect on the tough decisions, impactful stories and blossoming team spirit that made 2021 our most memorable year yet.
Author Archives: Kelly Anissa
Kelly Anissa is a journalist based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Previously, Kelly worked as a producer and presenter at BFM 89.9, a Malaysian radio station for current affairs. She has done work on a wide range of areas, covering environmental issues, policy and legal reforms in Malaysia, regional politics and health journalism. Outside of work, Kelly works on short films.
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COVID-19’s Mental Health Impact: How Are Refugees Coping?
Deborah Augustin speaks to Matilda Xavier, Clinical Psychologist, and Bo Min Naing, president of the Rohingya Society in Malaysia. They talk about the stigma around mental health in the refugee community, how they have been coping with it during the pandemic, and how some communities are affected more than others.
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Why Are Politicians Afraid of Art?
Do politicians and rulers have anything to worry about when it comes to the influence of art in politics?
Deborah Augustin speaks to Sharon Chin, a Malaysian artist, about her thoughts on protest art and whether political satire is an effective tool when it comes to challenging people in power.
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Undi18: Malaysian Youth Fight to Lower the Voting Age
On this episode of Southeast Asia Dispatches, Deborah Augustin speaks to Lim Wei Jiet, one of the co-founders of the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance, Malaysia’s first youth-driven political party, about their thoughts on this voting age controversy, the challenges the party has faced in getting registered, and the political climate for young politicians in Malaysia.
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Our Mothers’ Land: Women Resist the Privatisation of Nature
Deborah Augustin speaks to Febriana Firdaus and Leo Plunkett about their recent documentary, Our Mother’s Land. Febriana and Leo talk about their experience with this film and share their thoughts on the challenges women activists face in Indonesia when it comes to environmental activism.
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Getting to Know Our New Editor-in-Chief
Deborah Germaine Augustin sits down with New Naratif’s new Editor-in-Chief, Jacob Goldberg, and they talk about his direction and what members can look forward to under his leadership.
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New Naratif’s 2020 Year in Review
Deborah Augustin and PJ Thum reflect on the moments that defined this year for New Naratif.
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Behind Malaysia’s Drug Laws: A Family’s Ordeal
On this week’s episode of Southeast Asia Dispatches, Deborah Augustin speaks to filmmakers Loh Jo Yee and Hidayah Hisham as they delve into Malaysia’s criminal justice system with their upcoming documentary, Ayahku, Dr G (My Father, Dr G), which follows Siti and her 60-year-old father, who faces the death penalty for using medical cannabis to treat his chronic illnesses.
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Unpacking Urban Poverty
In Southeast Asia, poverty is often associated with rural communities. As a result, conversations around urban poverty have largely taken a backseat in public discourse.
On this week’s episode of Southeast Asia Dispatches, Deborah Augustin speaks to Prof. Datuk Dr. Denison Jayasooria, chair of the Asian Solidarity Economy Council and Pete Nicoll from Reach Out Malaysia, an organisation that works with the rural and urban poor. We discuss their experiences in working closely with this community and the misconceptions surrounding this multifaceted subject.
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Southeast Asia Dispatches — Episode 19
Victoria Milko visits refugee camps on the Myanmar-Bangladesh border around the two-year anniversary of an exodus of Rohingya from Myanmar, Kelly Anissa speaks to Malaysian students protesting against their university’s involvement in a problematic event, and Kirsten Han reflects on the state of dissent and activism in Singapore.