A dangerous measles outbreak is spreading across Southeast Asia, with tens of thousands of cases reported in Vietnam, Thailand, and neighboring countries. Dr Sanjay Woodhull, Consultant Paediatrician, explains how individual countries become vulnerable if there is a global spread of measles and how Malaysians can protect themselves from this disease.

Other stories we covered:

• Graft charges against Penang ex-Deputy Chief Minister: Former Deputy Chief Minister of Penang, P. Ramasamy was recently charged with 17 counts of breach of trust. This is connected to his role as the head of the Penang Hindu Endowments Board. To talk about the charges and the issue of corruption in state governance, we are joined by Predeep Nambiar from Free Malaysia Today’s Penang Bureau.

• University Malaya wants more autonomy: The vice-chancellor of UM has announced efforts to secure full autonomy, aiming to reduce governmental dependence and transition to independent governance. Professor Zaharom Nain, Director of the Allianz Centre for Governance at Universiti Malaya, joins us to explore what this shift means in practice.

• Malay-Muslim rights protest: A coalition of NGOs is organizing a “Daulat Melayu” rally, claiming the government has failed to protect Malay-Muslim rights. With 20,000 attendees expected, the group plans to highlight concerns they have over Malay land ownership and longstanding debates, including the use of the word “Allah.” We speak with Aziff Azuddin from IMAN Research to unpack the sentiments driving this movement and whether the rally will have social and political impact.

• A crime to read in public?: A youth collective’s book-reading session at Dataran Merdeka was abruptly halted by nearly a dozen officers from the police and DBKL, without a clear justification. Were they simply enforcing regulations, or was this an overreach? We explore the challenges of holding community events in public spaces and what this incident signals for civic engagement.

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