Malaysia ranks 11th out of 27 countries in the Asia Power Index, making it a middle power in Asia. We speak to Susannah Patton, Director of the Southeast Asia Program, about how superpowers like the US and China influence Asian nations, India's rising prominence, Australia surpassing Russia in the rankings as well as how Malaysia could strenghten its rankings in the index.

Other stories we covered today:

· World Pneumonia Day: Pneumonia is the leading cause of death in the country, responsible for 15% of all medically certified deaths in 2023. To discuss the risks pneumonia poses to older adults, we speak to Dr. Wong Chee Kuan, a consultant Respiratory Physician, who details the urgent measures needed to reduce pneumonia's deadly impact on the public.

· Whistleblower Seeks Protection for Corruption Accusations: An anonymous whistleblower, holding videos of assemblypersons discussing bribes, is seeking protection under the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010. We speak to Pushpan Murugiah, CEO of C4, about the Act’s ability to provide adequate immunity for those exposing corruption.

· Proposed Kelantan-Thai Border Wall: Kelantan Deputy Menteri Besar Datuk Dr. Mohamed Fadzli Hassan is proposing building a wall along the Thai border to address smuggling, illegal entry, and flood control. Raymon Ram from Graymatter Forensic Advisory discusses the project's feasibility and its potential ecological and social impacts, especially after recent drug-related arrests involving Malaysians in Thailand.

· Popek Popek Parlimen: During today’s Dewan Rakyat session, Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli warns against a targeted RON95 fuel subsidy using a vehicle ownership levy as it could inadvertently exclude the poorest households. He also shares insights on a pilot project involving identification cards and e-wallets at petrol stations, while Deputy Law and Institutional Reforms Minister M Kulasegaran announces plans for mandatory audits of the Legal Profession Qualifying Board after high operational costs and expenditure in the last five years.

Image Credit: Kachor Valentyna, Shutterstock

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