21-Oct-24 17:00

Regina Bateson, Assistant Professor in Political Science, University of Colorado Boulder

How has Kamala Harris' identity influenced her vice-presidential journey, and how likely are Americans to vote for a female president? In our third edition of 'Road to the White House,' we explore the role of women in US politics with Regina Batson, an assistant professor in political science.

Other stories we covered today:

· Who Are the T15?: In his Budget 2025 speech, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the wealthiest 15% of Malaysians, called the T15, will lose subsidies for RON95 fuel, healthcare, and education starting mid-2025. We spoke to economist Dr. Geoffrey Williams to clarify who qualifies as T15 and explore potential alternatives.

· New House Arrest Law Considered: Budget 2025 also introduced the possibility of house arrest as an alternative punishment for certain crimes to adress the issue of congested prisons. The announcement has since sparked online debate, raising concerns about whether this could reduce the impact of former Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's prison sentence. We get insights from human rights lawyer New Sin Yew.

· UN Biodiversity Conference COP16: As the 16th UN Biodiversity Conference kicks off, we hear from Julian Hyde, CEO of Reef Check Malaysia, about funding for ecosystem protection, safeguarding Indigenous rights, and the global commitment to protect ecosystems by 2030.

· Popek Popek Parlimen: We look at some of the key discussions in parliament today including security concerns in the South China Sea, updates on the 13th Malaysia Plan, as well as the opposition's reaction to Budget 2025.

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