Earlier this year, the Malaysian government announced the removal of diesel subsidies and plans to phase out RON 95 subsidies for higher-income groups by 2025. We ask Dr. Lee Hwok-Aun, Senior Fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, to weigh in on the policy's driving forces and its potential impact on Malaysians, sparking a national debate on fuel affordability.

Other stories we covered today:

· Selangor DAP Leadership Shake-Up: Selangor DAP party members have just elected their leaders for the 2024-2027 term with Puchong MP Yeo Bee Yin emerging victorious with 1180 votes, Ng Sze Han being named the new chairperson and V Ganabatirau chosen as deputy. We speak to Oh Ei Sun, Principal Adviser at the Pacific Research Centre for his analysis of the leadership change and the surprising loss of incumbent DAP Selangor chairman Gobind Singh Deo.

· COP29: COP29 kicks off today in Baku, Azerbaijan, focusing on securing increased financial commitments from wealthy nations to support climate action in poorer countries—a goal still unmet since the 2009 US$100 billion pledge. In a recent Earth Matters episode, Meenakshi Raman, the President of Sahabat Alam Malaysia, shared her insights on potential finance negotiation challenges, particularly the tension between developed and developing nations.

· Mercenary Or Terrorist?: Lee Bing Hang, a 20-year-old Malaysian, enlisted as a mercenary in Ukraine’s war against Russia, prompting a public debate about the treatment of Malaysians who join foreign conflicts. We explore the "double standard" around perceptions of Lee’s actions versus Malaysians involved in groups like IS or Jemaah Islamiyah, with insights from Aizat Shamsuddin, founder of Initiate.my.

· Popek Popek Parlimen: During today’s Dewan Rakyat session, Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying reassured MPs about Malaysia's economic stability despite concerns stemming from the US elections and Donald Trump's presidency. Merbok MP Nazri Abu Hassan raised questions on how the expanded SST may affect the cost of living and whether there are alternative revenue sources without burdening citizens. Discussions also touched on controversial government grants to YTL Corp subsidiaries.

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