14-Aug-24 17:00

Dr Oh Ei Sun, Principal Adviser, Pacific Research Centre

The stories we covered today:

5. Algerian boxer Imane Khelif has filed a lawsuit against J.K. Rowling, Elon Musk and Donald Trump, over alleged acts of cyberbullying which accused Khelif of being a man. This all started after another boxer forfeited a match against her, claiming she "feared for her life", but snowballed following further social media discourse. We hear thoughts on the case from Dr. Dyah Pitaloka, a Senior Lecturer in Communications and Media Studies at Monash University Malaysia.

4. Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) has been declared a public health emergency in Africa, after more than 15,000 m-pox cases and over 460 deaths were reported in the continent this year alone. We reach out to Professor Tikki Pangestu, a visiting professor at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore, and Dr Khoo Yoong Khean, Scientific Officer at the Duke-NUS Centre to get clarity on the severity of the situation.

3. Deputy Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Liew Chin Tong has suggested the government combine the RON95 subsidy rationalisation plan with a green transition policy. Economist Dr Geoffrey Williams chimes in with his thought on this idea.

2. Air Asia CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes has shared his plans to turn the Kota Kinabalu airport into an international transit and stopover airport, or what he calls a "mini Dubai". Khair Mirza, Head of Airport Investor Resource at Modalis Infrastructure Partners talks about what it would take to realise this dream.

1. Our top story: The Home Ministry has lifted the ban imposed on former DAP activist Hew Kuan Yau's comic book, after it was initially banned in 2019 for alleged communist and socialist content. Dr Oh Ei Sun, principal adviser of the Pacific Research Centre joins us to unpack this.

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