The Parliamentary Services Act 2025 is set to be tabled for it's second reading, aiming to set up Parliamentary services as a separate service from the civil service, as well as to establish a council to oversee staff appointments and terms, finances, and training programmes. We discuss this with Maha Balakrishnan, a parliamentary and policy advocacy specialist.

Other stories we covered:

• Malaysians appeal against charges in Singapore's largest securities fraud case: Two years ago, John Soh Chee Wen and Quah Su-Ling were convicted of 349 charges of false trading, price manipulation, deception and more. Today, Singapore's appeal courts heard their submissions. We hear about the significance of the case, and what could happen next, from Emmanuel Samarathisa, founder of The Malaysianist.

• Can Ukraine end the war without US support?: A tense Oval Office showdown between US President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has left Ukraine’s future uncertain, with a crucial security deal left unsigned. As European leaders rally behind Ukraine, can Zelenskyy secure peace without US backing? Julia Roknifard, Senior Lecturer at the School of Law and Governance at Taylor’s University, weighs in.

• The link between isolation and crime: The case of a 23-year old man setting nine homes on fire in Kedah last month has prompted us to ponder on the link between social ostracisation and pursuit of crime. We hear insights from Nadiah Syariani Mohammad Shariff, a criminologist and forensic science lecturer from Management and Science University.

• Popek Popek Parlimen: We hear about the Human Resources Ministry's efforts to raise employability of people with disabilities, why nurses are resigning from the Health Ministry, as well as the government's new control measures for project proposals costing over RM300 million to prevent leakages.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

Produced by: Alia Zefri, Sharaad Kuttan, Juliet Jacobs, Sudais Ferhard

Presented by: Sharaad Kuttan, Lim Sue Ann

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Categories:  politics,  government,  international,  controversies,  corruption,  Law/Activism,  economy

Tags:  Parliamentary Services Act 2025,  Malaysia Parliament Reform,  Singapore securities fraud,  John Soh Chee Wen case,  trump-zelenskyy,  malaysian nurses,  disability employment,  Ukraine war,  social isolation,