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.
Tag: Southeast Asia Dispatches
Can Malaysia’s Cycle of Statelessness Be Broken?
Deborah Augustin speaks to Haijan Omar, Dr. Vilashini Somiah and Wong Kueng Hui, one of the many stateless people in the Malaysian state of Sabah, about his decade-long legal battle to gain citizenship in Malaysia. Â
Is Malaysia’s Parliament Dead?
Deborah Augustin speaks to Arveent Kathirtchelvan and Chong Yee Shan from Parti Sosialis Malaysia about the limitations of electoral politics and potential alternatives to this system.
Why Malaysia’s COVID-19 Aid Isn’t Reaching Queer Communities
In this episode, Deborah Augustin speaks to Nisha Ayub and Connie Connor about the need for LGBTQIA+ specific mutual aid funds that are more gender-inclusive, and how the queer community in Malaysia has organised themselves against the backdrop of an increasingly hostile environment.
Why Some Malaysian Teachers Are Paying for Students’ Mobile Data
On this episode, Dayana Mustak speaks to Mazliza Mahmood, a teacher, and Chan Soon Seng, CEO of Teach for Malaysia. They talk about the educational alternatives available when a pandemic means in-person learning could put lives at risk and what help has been given to support students in need during this time.
Undocumented and Unvaccinated: Malaysia’s Unequal Vaccine Rollout
Deborah Augustin speaks to Adrian Pereira from North South Initiative and Mohammed*, an undocumented migrant from Bangladesh, about how the Malaysian government’s decision to deprive undocumented migrants of vaccines endangers not only this marginalised community, but also Malaysia’s chances of reaching herd immunity.
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.
Heroes by Necessity: Reframing Refugee Stories
Deborah Augustin speaks to Monique Truong and Leena Al-Mujahed, two women who have experienced forced displacement and continue to face their circumstances and obstacles with courage.
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.
Thai Protesters Gagged and Released
Yiamyut Suthichaya, assistant editor for Prachatai English, speaks to Sirikan Charoensiri from Thai Lawyers for Human Rights about the tension between the Thai constitution’s presumption of innocence and the Criminal Court’s criminalisation of political speech.