A special meeting was chaired by Deputy PM and Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to discuss key issues regarding the Aboriginal Peoples Act 1954, particularly the land and settlements of the Orang Asli. However, experts note that the amendmends will not be sufficient in empowering the Orang Asli community. We speak with Orang Asli lawyer Amani Williams-Hunt Abdullah about these gaps.

Other stories we covered:

• Malaysian author’s book in hot water: Since March, Malaysian author Tash Aw has had a target on his back with multiple reports being lodged, especially from select female far-right activists. His book, The South, which has just been longlisted for the 2025 Man Booker Prize, is being targeted due to its LGBT themes. We speak to Mahi Ramakrishnan, President of PEN Malaysia for her thoughts on the situation.

• PSSC proposal passed: In today’s Dewan Rakyat session the proposal to make Parliamentary Special Select Committees (PSSC) permanent was passed. With a few different stipulations being introduced, we reached out to Subang MP Wong Chen and Bukit Bendera MP Syerleena Abdul Rashid about their thoughts on how this proposal could potentially affect the parliamentary process.

• Sarawak pioneers first-in-human clinical trials: They are now the leading state in Malaysia for this specific pharmaceutical research, which tests drugs that will hopefully help those with diseases like lupus or cancer. We speak to Dr. Akhmal Yusof, the CEO of Clinical Research Malaysia who facilitates clinical trials like this one, about these advancements.

• AI therapists — helpful or dangerous?: A Stanford University-led study looked into the capabilities of AI to replace human therapists and found them unsuited to the job. Many have turned to chatbots to replace their shrinks, but it may lead to a severe disconnect from reality. We discuss this.

Image Credit: Pexels

Produced by: Sudais Ferhard, Alia Zefri, Sneha Harikannan, Tee Shiao Eek, Susan Tam

Presented by: Lee Chwi Lynn, Sharaad Kuttan, Susan Tam

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Categories:  technology,  wellness,  medical advances,  politics,  government,  Law/Activism,  controversies

Tags:  ai,  therapy,  mental health,  sarawak,  parliamentary select committees,  author,  lgbt,  orang asli,  aboriginal peoples act 1954,