The Simon Says Podcast (Simon Yeo)

This draws us to reference an incident when George Orwell, the author of Nineteen Eighty-Four and Animal Farm, was commissioned by British Council to write an article on British cookery in 1946, as part of the organisation’s efforts to promote British culture overseas, and subsequently being rejected due to reasons being “it was problematic to write about food in a time of strict rationing.”

In times of rising green wave, we wonder if an anytime food has been weaponised to promote fake religion of tolerance, where it was debated that a heritage dish should be something that can be savoured by all races in our country. It seems that the establishment in these days are somewhat po-faced and risk-averse, and was anxious to avoid recognising a non-halal food as heritage food for appeasement of voters in the upcoming state elections.

Texas sued to stop federal agents from cutting the border wire, claiming trespass a tort and a violation of Administrative Procedure Act. In this episode, we talk about Texas, borders security, issues of self-determination, balance of power between federal vs state.

Do leave a comment or email us at simon.says.podcast@protonmail.com

Governor DeSantis recently dropped the hammer on the biopharmaceutical medical state when he introduced mRNA accountability hearing. It was nothing short of epic — as he brought in renowned experts like doctors Bhattacharya, Kulldorff, and others to testify against Fauci-ism. 

Find out in this part 2 of the podcast where we explore the moves that Governor DeSantis takes in offering critical assessments of things that bureaucracies like the FDA, CDC, and NIH are doing.

We started Season 2 with the same title, “Lockdown Again?!” with MCO 2.0. And it seems like we are in a time loop with no clear sight of an end as we are in MCO 3.0.

Is there a more feasible and tolerable way for us to deal with the issues, instead of lockdown? It is past time we take an effortful pause from a vantage point, recalibrate our response to the true risk, make rational cost-benefit analyses of the trade-offs, and end the lockdown groupthink. Are we seizing the most of the opportunities to rise above the circumstances, or get caught in the tumultuous current of a pandemic of Covid-19, fear, and lack of courage?

With the active push to use the media for ideological efforts in the international platform, we have seen an increase in active consumers of the propaganda of the Chinese Communist Party. A vast effort to get everybody thinking together, aka unity of thought, is in the play. 

We explore independent Chinese media's take on the pursuit of freedom of speech in Malaysia and their unique take on a unity government.

Don’t we all love time traveling, whether through the time-traveling machines or the superpower of time traveling to enable us to revisit a past event to rectify it for a better future? As we revisit some of the past watershed moments in the history of our nation, we would like to encourage all the listeners to answer these questions honestly. What is the hope and desire we have for our nation? Do we really hate systemic corruption? Do we really hate the racial and political and religious schemes created to divide us as a nation? When we can honestly answer these questions after a thorough assessment, that will be the Days of Future Past for us Malaysians. We hope you feel encouraged once again to move with joy in the war - the war to fight for a better future for our generation and generations to come.

Amendment - On 9 August 1965 (not 1963), Singapore separated from Malaysia to become an independent and sovereign state.

Following the 15th Malaysian General Election held on 19th November 2022, we see a turning point in the Malaysian political landscape. While the whole nation is waiting anxiously as to who would emerge as the winner in the race for Putrajaya, we sit down to discuss a few prime takeaways from this GE15.

1. Is GPS really for freedom of religion in Sarawak as claimed by Abang Jo?

2. What is the impact of Undi18?

3. Comparison between Teal and Red Wave in GE15

4. Impact of Anti-Hopping Law

5. What’s next for Malaysia?

While there is an air that smells of doom and gloom out there, we would like to offer a fresh take on the whole GE15 outcome. You won’t want to miss out tuning in to this episode.

Join us this week as our host, Simon Yeo, talks us through some key events of the nation as written in the memoirs of Malaysia’s former Attorney General. In “Return of the Jedi”, Obi-Wan Kenobi tells Luke Skywalker, “What I told you was true, from a certain point of view.” In the same manner, this memoir titled “My Story: Justice in the Wilderness” is historical accounts that were written from Tan Sri Tommy Thomas’ point of view. So, it is not surprising to see the much-polarised perception of the readers towards the release of this memoir, especially that raised by the political figures in the country.

It is important for us to understand history so that we know how to engage in the current society and culture. The change in the Malaysian government in 2018 demonstrated the new political discourse in this nation. It is a change that showed that Malaysians still have the voice and power to shift things around and keeping the elected officials accountable to their political manifesto. 

Don’t allow the voice of unbelief to belittle the importance of the role that each of us, young and old, hold in shaping the future of Malaysia. Don’t stay in the Lalaland, and miss out a large part of what is going on in Malaysian culture. As Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander during WWII and former President of United States of America, said, “The history of free men is never really written by chance but by choice; their choice!” As Malaysians, we can all become stronger if we choose to come together for the unity that shares mutual values, mutual respect, freedom, liberty, and the opportunity to pursue happiness.

As you tune in to this podcast episode in its entirety, we hope optimism, confidence, courage is reignited in you once again to fight for the opportunity to pursue happiness in Malaysia.

At the 4th week of hush money trial, Trump decried election interference upon arrival at a Manhattan courthouse. “I should be out campaigning now instead of sitting in a very cold courthouse all day long,” Trump told of the reporters outside the courtroom. “This is a Biden persecution. It’s election interference at a level that nobody in this country has ever seen before.” In this episode, we discuss how Lawfare has limited freedom of speech under the guise of stability and how it’s linked to cancel culture.

Since the infamous Sheraton Move, the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government unwittingly took over the nation and was immediately thrust into epic and challenging response required from the pandemic crisis. 18 months into the pandemic, the PN government’s popularity is at an all-time low.

We are living in times where our government steps into the realm of bad faith behaviour. DON’T KEEP SILENT ANYMORE till the time it becomes too late to realise that there will be no curiosity, no enjoyment of the process of life; and all competing pleasures are destroyed. Keep RESISTING the intoxication of power which is constantly increasing and constantly growing subtler.

Over the last week, many Malaysians have joined the bandwagon of those who have expressed great disappointment and even anger at Anwar and his unity government over Zahid’s DNAA.

In this episode, we asked few questions to cause us to think beyond the confines of political games.

1. What are some of the constraints faced by the unity government?

2. Is PMX still the one?

3. Are we placing too much hope on the government?

As we discussed on the New Realism and the Battle with the Mainstream Media in the last two segments of the final episode of Season 4 of this podcast, the main question boils down to how should we vote in light of the truth that surrounds this nation, particularly on the Razak lineage and the concerned party / coalition. Join us in this episode as we tackle the false narrative that plagues the rural folks – “Najib tak salah, tau?”

Crossing the floor in Parliament is a phrase that’s used when one leaves a political party and joins another. Ever since Sheraton Move, there has been much discussion and anticipation of Anti Party Hopping Bill. However, in a First Past the Post system, is this proposed bill an antidote for political precariousness or rather a poison?

An interesting trend was observed among the 6.9 million new voters in this 15th Malaysian General Election. It was not homogeneous, and many's primary source of information was social media. In this episode, we explore how our guests, being first-time voters themselves, came to make an informed decision in spite of the social media frenzy.

Welcome on board, Simon Sayers! 

"What can Malaysia achieve?" "What can Malaysia show to the entire world?" - If these are questions that you have thought of, this show is for you.

Much like the frog in a slowly heating pan of water, history has demonstrated that societies often assume the roles of useful idiots when they are quick to ignore a slow descent into autocracy and fascism all for the “greater good”. In this episode, we see the true colours of a tyrannical leader who regards the unvaxxed with disdain, including his own citizens who are being threatened and blamed for the ongoing COVID crisis.

As you follow this video, you’ll find informative discussion that talks about the ten stages of genocide, and grateful we are to those people that the authoritarian government had us embarrassed, ridiculed, mocked, and torn down, because their perseverance and courage had ended domination by big pharma companies and World Economic Forum.

In Thailand, we see the victorious emergence of 3rd force led by maverick Move Forward Party. The centre left party is mostly driven by youth movement. In this episode, we explore the viability of Muda contesting alone in the state polls, after being sidelined by Pakatan Harapan.

Following the big support that Move Forward won from youth voters and the capital Bangkok, it seems like the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (in short, MUDA) is also following Move Forward’s campaigning strategy that leverages overwhelmingly on social media on an anti-establishment platform.

Is this now a good time for the rise of third force in Malaysia’s upcoming state elections? Tune in to this episode to hear and make a determination for yourself.

In the Supreme Court of the United States of America confirmation hearing, Judge Amy Coney Barrett delivered a powerful opening statement. Judge Barrett said, “Courts have vital responsibility to enforce the rule of law, which is critical to a free society. The policy decision and value judgments of government must be made by the political branches elected by and accountable to the People.”

We have no illusions that the road ahead of us for a free society in Malaysia will be easy either for the short term or the long haul. But with the People's combined efforts through informed strategic decision makings, be it personally or corporately, we can each make a positive difference!

What an irony when PMX Anwar Ibrahim kicked off his National Day 2024 themed “Malaysia MADANI: Jiwa Merdeka” address by giving stern warning against any party supposedly sowing disharmony that the government will consider amending related laws if existing provisions are insufficient to snuff out racial tension. Fahmi Fadzil, the Communications Minister, explained that Jiwa Merdeka expresses the freedom of the people from any negative elements in interpreting the patriotic spirit through the aspects of thinking; yet we see grouses from Perikatan Nasional leaders on the restricted freedom of speech in their statements in conjunction with Merdeka Day today.

In this episode, three Sarawakians explored their journey in coming to a reconciled understanding of the significance of both National Day and Malaysia Day, and what we wish to see in days ahead for Malaysia, a rainbow nation in the making.

Erica Chenoweth, a political scientist at Harvard, observed in The New Yorker that there is a pronounced shift in the global landscape of dissent where people in more countries are using people's power than at any time in recorded history. The primary challenges to the government today are no longer the armed upheaval, but rather nonviolent mass movements.

The former UMNO leader Khairy Jamaluddin suggested recently that the unity government should be worried about a “tsunami of discontent” instead of a “green wave” in the upcoming state polls, and he was quickly backed by Perikatan Nasional chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin who dismissed concerns/issues surrounding race, religion, and royalty.

Is this a rehabilitation of Perikatan Nasional’s reputation as part of Khairy Jamaluddin’s PR project? Watch this episode to see if the tides might have well and truly turned.

During his address for the Malaysia Day 2023 celebration here on Saturday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had hailed Sarawak as the nation’s “most advanced state”, underlining the remarkable strides that it has made since the birth of Malaysia. In a viral video, it was seen that Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg was humbled and bemused that the Prime Minister would request him to give a lecture on the green economy that Sarawak is adopting and leading in the nation.

We were inspired by the Sarawak premier's phrase that Malaysia will be prosperous if Sarawak is prosperous in our pursuit of happiness in the nation that turned 60 on 16 September 2023.

Our Prime Minister started off his speech with a great diagnosis of the Malaysian economy. However, when we compare it with Tengku Zafrul's budget, it did not seem to differ much. In this episode, we discuss our take on the welfare budget and the lack of reform from a Prime Minister who is supposedly big on reform.

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Our special guest, David Tiang, made an appearance to discuss with our host, Simon Yeo, the decision delivered by Malaysian Federal Court where 16 provisions of offences in Kelantan Syariah Penal Code (1) Enactment 2019 are deemed to be void and not validly enforced in the state. 9 February 2024, the day which the decision was delivered, was hailed by the Kelantan ruling party Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) to be “Black Friday”. Is it Black Friday or is it a day we slowly break away from religious control in a secular nation? Tune in for more.

Eric Clapton stated reservation of his right NOT to perform in any state where a discriminated audience is present in response to the UK prime minister's recent announcement for proof of vaccination as an entry requirement.

In achieving the dreamland goal of herd immunity, the accentuated narrative is such that “without the vaccination, you are endangering the lives of other people.” Are the data out there truly supporting the media’s pitchy cry that this is the pandemic of the unvaccinated?

Perhaps it is time for us to become aware of the oppressive cycle the nation is in, even more so with the vaccine passport.  As George Orwell famously wrote in 1984, ‘So long as the masses are not permitted to have standards of comparison, they never even become aware that they are oppressed.’

Last week we saw Kanye West (now known as Ye) stormed the internet and Paris fashion week with “White Lives Matter” shirt. In an interview with Tucker Carlson, he boldly put in record that we are “in a battle with the media where the majority of the media has godless agenda.”

Following the first part on New Realism, the panel sat down to discuss the alternatives to mainstream media.

In the era of misinformation, where we begin to hear terms such as digital leviathan, how do we navigate through the swampy media narrative? In this episode, we break down the process of dismantling the mainstream media narrative, and take a deep dive into the process of verification at source so that discernment arises to see through any political witch hunt.

As many Malaysians face up to the reality of having to spend time away from their families in the upcoming Chinese New Year festive holidays, we want to begin to look at the current affairs, such as lockdown, that are affecting ordinary folks like you and me. Yes, we have entered into a new stage of new normal. Some new normal habits are formed, such as less wasting, less luxury, which are good. But are we compromising in ways that give away our basic rights of freedom and liberty? 

Tune in to listen to the perspective that our host, Simon, presents so that we don't give in to an atmosphere of fear in this new stage of new normal.

We learnt the lessons of 2023 and look forward to a brighter 2024 where we see more of these in Malaysia:

1. Self determination

2. Small government

3. Pursuit of happiness and necessity of flourishing Middle class

Malaysian politics have always been dominated by Federal Power. With the change in government in GE15, are we finally seeing a fresh wind of change for decentralisation of federal power?

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Previously, we discussed American Supreme Court case - Harvard / UNC decision at length whereby the Court reversed a 45 year old precedent on affirmative action on the ground that it violates the Constitution and the Civil Acts Act. In our discussion, our thoughts are frequently turned to the situation here back in Malaysia. We know very truly in the practical reality the existence of affirmation action in Malaysia, across all sectors – economy, education, civil service and others.

Is affirmative action a constitutional foundation of this nation? Or is it simply a policy made by the government of the day? This is what we want to explore in this episode.

When it comes to nation-building, one has to be strategic to make some calculated moves to cause the nation to come to a tipping point. The Liberal Party in Australia has been aggressively pursuing the “Broad Church” concept, which tries to be all things to all people. The election results showed that the Liberal Party cannot appeal to the Left and the Right at the same time.

Do join us as our host and producer discuss the election resources that the Australian Christian Lobby has put into campaigning against the five Liberal MPs who crossed the floor, leading to the failure of the Religious Discrimination Bill.

Despite Speaker McCarthy's shocking victory over the deep state by securing House passage of a 45-day stopgap bill to keep the government open and cut off funding for Ukraine, Rep. Matt Gaetz has filed a motion to vacate House Speaker to which he succeeded with the help of Democrats.

While many Republicans think that McCarthy has been "rock solid" as a leader in the House, Matt Gaetz disagreed and justified on grounds that he "takes no lecture from those who would grovel and bend knee for the lobbyists and special interests who own our leadership, hollow out this town, and borrow against the future of our future generations."

In Malaysia, we see the similar tension and cringe when the incumbent unity government justified the continual advancement of NEP mainly in the name of stability and unity. What can we learn from the US Speaker race so that the nation can move away from affirmative action policies that have been hijacked and weaponised to cultivate a culture of fear and insecurity for politicians to remain in high places?

In this podcast episode, we discuss the concept of wokeness which leads to affirmative policies.

Since the declaration of Malaysia Day as public holiday in 2009 by former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Najib Razak, there has been slow but growing awareness to celebrate Malaysia’s formation and diversity. The likes of Merdeka-themed community arts festival such as Peszta has been held to celebrate Malaysia’s culture and community. In this episode, 3 Malaysians sat down to discuss at length what formation of Malaysia means to them.

Perhaps one of the most famous quotes about freedom of speech is none other than Hall’s phrase in The Friends of Voltaire, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” Here’s a nation with one of the founding pillars being freedom of speech and freedom of expression. In an era where more restrictions have been placed on what we can say, on what we can think, we must understand that freedom of expression and freedom of speech aren’t really important UNLESS they are heard. We hope you are encouraged in this week’s episode and regain your voices and hope once again to fight for the liberty of expression in this land we call home.

Representative Matt Gaetz became the poster boy in the recent US House Speaker Election. After 15 rounds of voting, consensus was reached when Kevin McCarthy agreed to a whole list of demands by 20 representatives. It set in motion meaningful reforms that essentially make Congress less of a rubber stamping institution but actual ground for healthy policy government discussion, agreement, disagreement, and consensus.

The recent release of Twitter files by billionaire tech mogul, Elon Musk, has had the world dumbfounded by the lies that have been at play. In fact, Twitter was operating a giant political censorship machine applied with brute computer force.

If you’re interested in the geeky side of the US political landscape, you won’t want to miss this first part of our podcast.

Joining our host today is Dr. Lan Shi, who brings us through the dubious origins of Long Covid, so that discernment may be developed to combat medical tyranny. 

In an era of misinformation, it is not surprising to hear the echoes of chronic fatigue, alongside 204 other mind-boggling symptoms in the effort to blame the coronavirus. However, are the evidence lining up with the narrative that the mainstream media has been painting about post-Covid symptoms?

At a time when the world is talking about “recovery”, we are being reminded of the Walk for Judicial Independence organised by the Malaysian Bar on 17th June 2022. An unwarranted and inexplicable display of state power and intimidation by the Royal Malaysia Police was witnessed in this walk that was intended to uphold the doctrine of separation of powers.

Nonetheless, in the midst of all this, there is a part that each citizen can take part in nation-building in Malaysia. One person at a time! Joining Simon in this pre-recorded episode back on 20th June 2022 is our special guest, Vanessa Ting, a qualified legal person.

Our title for this week’s podcast is extracted from none other than an acclaimed dystopian masterpiece novel by George Orwell. Such an apt description that described the hypocrisy of governments that promote absolute equality of their citizens, yet empowering and benefiting a small elite.

Big government is a prelude to a totalitarian system. Is it something that we really want, having had a big government governing Malaysia for decades? Join us this week as our host, Simon, spices up the podcast with some pop quiz to shift our understanding of big government versus small government.

In the article titled "What Malaysia Day means to us" published by The Star, one particular comment aptly describes the confusion between Merdeka on 31 August and Malaysia Day on 16 September, where many thought the celebrations are interchangeable.

"I personally wish we are educated more on the cultures, customs and experiences of people of Sabah and Sarawak. I feel it’s important to celebrate a historical event such as Malaysia Day, as many might not actually know the reason behind the celebration and I think it should be more prominently explained or highlighted on the same level as our National Day. Many in the peninsula are largely unfamiliar with traditions of Sabahans and Sarawakians aside from what we are taught in our Civics textbook."

Though the celebrations for both days have passed, may this song "Malaysia Forever" that was even considered as Malaysia's "unofficial national anthem" spurs your consideration of which day to be celebrated widely by Malaysians.

Within the first week from the polling day, Malaysians have been treated to interesting political development in the country. Are we finally starting to see the decoupling of the centralised power at the federal level with the formation of a unity government? You’ll find out more in this episode!

In this episode of The Simon Says Podcast, we did The Political Compass test. The result will show where we stand in a quadrant of the matrix - Left, Right, Libertarian, and Authoritarian.

Here's the link to the test for you to assess your values if you are leaning towards extremism or moderation - https://www.politicalcompass.org/test

We see the likes of Novak Djokovic and Kyrie Irving being red-pilled over the course of the pandemic and we are inspired to have a Sports round table discussion with some of our listeners who are avid sports lovers.

Should we mix sports with politics? Get down to sports business with us as we discuss if sports fans actually enjoyed being bombarded with the woke cancellation agenda as they watch the beautiful game.

As controversial as it may sound, join us as our host Simon Yeo walks us through a deeper understanding of the election process, both in the United States of America and in Malaysia, and then decide for yourself what can People do in order to vote for a government who would be held accountable to upload liberty in the land.

In an increasingly polarizing world with contrasting points of view and often extreme polar opposites in political positions – are we able to draw a clear line between freedom, liberty, and a globalist totalitarian system? What happens when democracy becomes corrupt and controlling or when a dictator becomes benevolent if such a thing is even possible?

In a recent news where the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, expressed his dismay over the backlash against the effort to bring in the injured Palestinians for medical treatment, we explored the power of social media platform in regulating contents. The minister of truth in Malaysia, who acts on behalf of Prime Minister Office, even demanded an apology from Meta on the grounds of removal of Facebook post of Anwar to be an act of discrimination against the situation in Palestine and its leaders.

Anwar strongly condemned Meta on the removal of his Facebook post - ”Tidak masuk akal apabila hantaran menghormati seorang pejuang yang berusaha memerdekakan tanah airnya daripada kezaliman dan penderitaan dianggap berbahaya.” While differing opinions may be expressed on Hamas and its former leader Ismail Haniyeh, we want to know if you think social media platform should act as publisher and content regulator.

In recent week, we saw an uproar in the internet when former President Trump questioned the racial identity of Vice President of United States, Kamala Harris. CNN reported that Donald Trump falsely suggests Kamala Harris ‘happened to turn Black’. Like CNN, BBC wrote, “Ms Harris is the first black and Asian-American vice-president, with Indian and Jamaican-born parents. She attended Howard University, a historically black university, and joined the predominantly black Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.” I think we Malaysians know and can tell an Indian from a Black, and it sure isn’t because one joins a predominantly black university. Join us as we discuss many interesting events that unfolded over the past weeks, from Biden dropping out of presidential race to Harris’ sudden coronation, Trump surviving assassination attempt, and many more.

In our very first episode, Simon discussed the lowering of the voting age in Malaysia. Joining us this week are two young people who will be voting for the very first time in the upcoming election. Tune in as they discuss automatic voter registration, possible effects of Covid-19 restrictions on the election, government handouts, and rule of law.

While much of the voters in the U.S. will be tuning in to watch the vice-presidential debate Tuesday night between Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. JD Vance (R., Ohio), we discussed how several key swing states will likely to impact the election outcome. Even three term London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, couldn’t missed passing a remark in Politico about US Election as he rightly said, “What happens in America is the metronome … that sets the beat of what happens across the globe. It sets the beat for how other politicians behave in an election campaign.”

Malaysia is no stranger to public health crises. In the A(H1N1) outbreak, there was no health curfew imposed given the preparedness Malaysian Health Ministry in pandemic outbreak response, with health screening and thermal scanners in place at various checkpoints at Kuala Lumpur International Airport following the start of a global alert on the flu.

What makes the COVID-19 pandemic different from previous pandemic outbreaks in Malaysia that the country’s constitutional monarch declared a nationwide state of emergency at Prime Minister Muhyiddin’s request? Is the COVID-19 outbreak response by the Malaysian government encroaching into our liberty that turns us, the law-abiding civilians, into victims? Many stop living. Many stop having to accomplish or even try hard things because there’s this deadly thing out there that might kill them. Is this who we really are? You choose – is it going to be a fight over liberty or do you accept death sentence over our livelihood without putting up a fight?

It's our SEASON FINALE! Join us as our host, Simon Yeo, walks us through some of the highlights in Season 1. We are going to re-learn some of the key concepts of nation-building and what YOU can do to help Malaysia achieve her greatest destiny! Don't miss our most exciting episode yet!

George Orwell critised the manipulation of citizens by totalitarian regimes in his book “1984”. When the fourth estate failed to hold the present-day government accountable with its evolution into a mere echo chamber of the leftist regime, we see the rise of citizen journalism. For those of you interested to venture into citizen journalism, this is an episode to watch!

In today's episode, Simon and Lyra talk about processing and discerning truth as we time travel through the last two episodes - discussing concepts of first among equals, progressivism, immunity as the country navigates through a moment of shifting out of muzzled voices to the rise of the populist movement.

“The race is far from over,” said Nikki Haley after losing New Hampshire primary to Trump. In this episode, we discuss Donald J. Trump’s appeal and what we are not getting at?

Trump represents a populist move that demands a shift away from global elite management. What MAGA movement brings about is a fresh take on “no taxation without representation”, which is a lesson that Malaysia could draw parallel from in the areas concerning self-determination.

The term Fourth Estate refers to the press and news media that wield significant indirect social influence. Hence, media plays an extremely role in any modern society that values checks and balances of political mandate and powers. However, we are seeing increasingly erratic reporting, especially from mainstream media that simply want to lecture the viewers on their philosophy. They are quick to shout "racism/bigotry" each time they are unable to justify a happening. Join us this week as we walk you through the ways we can begin to read news article with a more discerning mind.

Driven largely by woke ideology (and in this case, siege mentality), cancel culture is a form of modern banishment whereby the loudest voice tries to signal a public boycott based on certain ideas/perspectives. Comedy, a genre that fundamentally pushes boundaries and pokes fun at the status quo by drawing inspiration from familiar and general experiences to communicate, is no foreign to constant attack where political correctness demands.

In an interview with CNN following the massive backlash from Malaysians and Singapore’s High Commissioner to Malaysia, Jocelyn Chia replied, “We all know in the comedy club context that this is the comedian trying to get a laugh, and there is no actual malice behind it."

In this episode, we discuss the decline of comedy, particularly in the context of the long friendly rivalry between Singapore and Malaysia, and the implications of cancel culture toward freedom of speech.

In this episode, we explore the concept of big vs small government. One of a tough questions that will be answered in this episode is that “is it fair to call a big government marxist and totalitarian?” Is it true that as government expands, liberty contracts?

Many political pundits have considered Budget 2023 as a "state election budget". In this episode, we discuss if this budget is geared towards countering Green wave and if it's effective to address systemic issues, such as entitlement, victim mentality, and critical race theory.

In the age of information, a worrying trend that we have been observing is the rise in "misinformation" as a front to censorship. In Joe Rogan's words, “Many of the things that we thought of as ‘misinformation’ just a short while ago are now accepted as fact.” Whilst misinformation is a propaganda war that is almost as old as warfare itself, what's new is that now there's the willful participation of so-called private entities to support the government narrative of misinformation (an "advisory note" if you will).

A culture of fatherless homes and orphan hearts has plagued the US since 1973 until the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade. In light of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Simon discusses the roots of Roe v. Wade with Michele Lau, a lawyer who specialises in family law in Malaysia, and we find that a "daddy-deprived" culture has been the roots of many societal ills, including unwanted pregnancies and abortion. Join us to find out for yourself, when life begins?

We are living in times where the judiciary is being attacked like never before. Increasingly, we are seeing the loss of public trust in the judiciary system. Join us as we break down the phantoms and lies of Orwell’s dystopia where “two plus two equals five”. Justice Clarence Thomas' words in the face of agitators from leaked draft SCOTUS opinion on overturning Roe v. Wade are that of hope of restoration of independence of the judiciary system in our nation - "We can't be an institution that can be bullied into giving you just the outcomes you want."

In this episode, as a continuation to our last episode on big vs small government, we deep dive the concept of federal vs state powers as stated in Malaysia Constitution, Schedule 9. Questions that are answered are:

1. Is the Federal power supreme?

2. Jefferson vs Hamilton in the American model pertaining to federal vs state rights?

3. Should some of the Federal powers come under the state as we move towards the concept of self-determination?

Do leave a comment or email us at simon.says.podcast@protonmail.com

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Agriculture and food security minister Mohamad Sabu has defended the recent appointments of Pakatan Harapan leaders to statutory bodies under his ministry. The political appointments in federal statutory bodies have drawn strong criticism from the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih).

"It's an abuse of public office and trust, bordering on hidden corruption, if the government simply appoints any party operatives, such as former aides of top leaders, to statutory bodies just to financially sustain their political works," the electoral watchdog added.

Whilst the appointment of board members of the FSBs are governed by their respective regulation act, suggesting that political appointments are right by law, we discuss in this episode is it is right by the court of public opinion.

Isn't democracy about the majority? The majority rules? That’s mob rule - it can be for better or for worse. The Founding Fathers of the United States of America drew their decision from the French Revolution (a type of mob rule) and designed the constitution as we know today. America is founded based on a constitutional republic. It is crucial as we begin to understand and appreciate the significance of the quote from Benjamin Franklin on democracy. “Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what they are going to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.”  The check and balance system ensures accountability from the government of the day (President), the legislature (Senate), and the judiciary (Supreme Court) with a clear separation of power between the three branches of government.

In this episode, we discussed contents that were discussed in "Keluar Sekejap" podcast hosted by our special virtual guests, former YB Khairy Jamaluddin and Shahril Hamdan.

Three key points that were discussed were:

(i) Stability of Unity Government

(ii) Redistribution of wealth

(iii) Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim - where would he stand in the Political Compass test?

Former President Donald J. Trump cruised to victory in the Iowa caucuses, and we see the world is having mixed emotions towards the victory and also the suspension of presidential campaign by Ron DeSantis.

With the Iowa win, it is clear, at least to DeSantis, that “a majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump a second chance.”

Don’t miss out this episode where we discuss the man who rises above every media attack, political lawsuits and old guard establishment effort that tried to destroy and force him out of the election.

In recent times, the relationship between United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) has reached its all-time low that a key development was observed in the tussle for leadership in Malaysia’s government. In a February 26 decision, UMNO has announced the severance of ties with Bersatu, the party of the 8th Prime Minister of Malaysia. This breaking news was followed by the statement from UMNO Party deputy president, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hassan (also known as “Tok Mat”), that said, “I don’t understand why people are saying that Umno and Bersatu are now divorced when we never got married in the first place. We were never in a formal coalition like Barisan Nasional.”

Were they just friends with benefits and the political analysts were right in their prediction that the alliance was doomed from the start? UMNO was the party with the largest number of Members of Parliament in the Perikatan Nasional coalition, more than Bersatu. Professor James Chin, director of the Asia Institute at the University of Tasmania, remarked, “In the end, they (UMNO) were outmaneuvered, with many key ministerial positions given to Bersatu MPs. UMNO was found wanting.” 

Join us as our host, Simon Yeo, discusses in this week’s episode, the King’s suggestion to reconvene Parliament and the outlook for the Malaysian political landscape following the split between UMNO and Bersatu in the Prime Minister’s coalition that formed the backdoor government.

Both Twitter and Facebook recently took extraordinary censorship measures against The New York Post over its exposés about Hunter Biden’s emails. Responding to other mainstream media outlets’ refusal to cover the new details surrounding Hunter Biden’s pursuit of lucrative overseas deals, Glenn Greenwald, a co-founding editor of The Intercept and a former Guardian columnist, tweeted, “The target of my criticism here is the media for so blatantly repudiating its core function.” This brings us to think – what is the role of media in a free society and how has it been repudiating its core function? What can we learn from here? And how could the People in Malaysia then hold the government accountable through the function of the press and news media which holds explicit capacity of advocacy and implicit ability to frame political issues?

We saw the media broke the day after the conversation between billionaire Elon Musk and former President Trump went live in X for two hours. Many headlines from legacy media that followed the conversation were ones that were slanderous in nature where we see “Musk Interview Showed Trump Doesn’t Know How to Run Against Harris” or “The dumbest climate conversation of all time”.

The truth is the legacy media were panicking following Musk’s endorsement of Trump where he said to Trump, “We’re at a fork in the road of destiny of civilization, and I think we need to take the right path, and I think you’re the right path.” It is an interesting election cycle happening in the United States of America this year, even more so now that you see a billionaire that’s making cool electric cars coming out to urge those in the moderate camp (and data showed most millennials tuned in to the conversation) where he thinks they should support Donald Trump for president.

For full and clear conversation between Elon Musk and former President Trump, listen to https://x.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1823430600872878321?t=LY-zC5cy6ePBKB4xe8fljg&s=19

If you like reading key takeaways, here are two great resources - https://thenationalpulse.com/analysis-post/trump-musks-historic-x-space-slams-the-brakes-on-kamalas-momentum/ and https://x.com/charliekirk11/status/1823187201233973283?s=46&t=X_S-jxeftPy-Iv0yj2SMbA

Join us this week as our host, Simon Yeo, brings us back to a key event that took place in the year 1976, where constitutional amendment made by the Parliament of Malaysia essentially relegated Sabah and Sarawak to the status of mere states. 

Logan travelled back in time to 1973 in the movie “X-Men: Days of Future Past” to change history in preventing an event that results in doom for both humans and mutants. As we draw parallels to visiting the key events in the history of our nation to the concept of redeeming the time, we hope you are encouraged with a hope for a better future, similar to the fuse of hope that Thomas Jefferson had when he declared, “I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.”

Several weeks ago, former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Najib Abdul Razak, lamented the failure of the country’s judicial system, where he has “watched from the dock as his chances of success of the appeal slowly erode away”. Despite the five-person apex court unanimously upholding the conviction and 12-year prison sentence as well as a RM210 million fine, there seems to be a ramping up of the usage of the moniker “Bossku” by the ex-premier’s social media team. 

Whilst Najib amassed millions of fans on social media, we are here today to discuss in this pre-recorded episode on 25th August 2022 the purpose of exposing corruption and if that means the beginning of the restoration of justice to our nation.

We recently saw this relatable tweet by Eric Weinstein (host at The Portal podcast and MD of Thiel Capital) that reads “When public health fails to reach people, try speaking to the general public like they were scientists but from a different field. So they aren’t virologists or immunologists; how would you talk to a CS or Physics professor who was interested in non-vaccine alternative for Covid?”

So, we decided to break down the process required for identifying Delta variant for Covid-19 virus, and you could decide for yourself if the mainstream media is being honest or not.

In last week’s podcast, we drew reference to the famous quote by George Orwell, “All animals are equal. But some animals are more equal than others.” As we continue to uncover more about the tribe values of two groups of people ascribed by David Goodhart, Anywhere and Somewhere, and how they fit into the big picture of big government versus small government, we would understand the critical function of sovereign nations.

Despite the rise of globalism and big government that seeks to exert more control, we must remember there are functions and order in each sovereign nation we live in. Law and regulations, monetary and fiscal stability are the functions provided by the sovereign nations, and not global institutions. As we submit to the function and order belonged to the sovereign nations, may we find the hope to continue to believe in change, and take the necessary steps to initiate changes in ways unique to each and every one of us. Change is very much possible if we all combine our strengths and make it a reality rather than an impossibly utopian ideology.

Interestingly, in the last episode when we explored the concept of state vs region, our host, Simon, realised later that he made mistake in the pronunciation of the word “Secession” as “Cessation”. The pronunciation of the word “Secession” is very similar to the word succession – as in take over a position and responsibilities by a successor. Though the word was mispronounced as cessation, interestingly the word cessation does convey a certain level of information and emotion that is related to the secession of state (the latter being the technical word for leaving a union or a federation). Join us this week to find out more on the whole issue of independence and secession.

CNN poll taken immediately after vice presidential debate shows Vance overtakes Walz with a 12 point shift in Vance’s favour amongst the female voters. How important is vice presidential debate? Tune in to find out more and how US election is really the mother of all elections, affecting even how Malaysia would progress in days ahead.

There is this old adage that is full of social wisdom: “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Then again, we see the model of seemingly successful Socialist Paradises in Nordic countries that have low unemployment, low income-inequality, low poverty rates, and steadily high levels of growing economies; and we can’t help but wonder, "Perhaps welfare state is better for the success of Malaysia?"

Join us this week as our host, Simon Yeo, discusses topics related to Big Government and Socialist Paradises – Can they co-exist without infringing and robbing away the liberty and self-starting spirit from the People?

Join us as we do a review of the election manifesto for the 3 main coalitions, i.e., Pakatan Harapan, Barisan Nasional, and Perikatan Nasional, in this 15th Malaysian General Election, so that you are better equipped to vote for the formation of the righteous government that’s for nation building. Remember, we are voting for the candidate, party, and coalition in this first-past-the-post system.

With the seemingly unending lockdowns, we are seeing an underlying pattern of Group Think that appeals to the natural senses of fear and anxieties but shuts down any voices of dissent in the form of debates, disagreements, and legitimate debates. How do we, as the Rakyat, stir up a voice presenting Minority Report to break free from a dominant control system based on pseudo data? Join us for a hopeful discussion with our host, Simon Yeo, and be prosperous even in the midst of lockdown.

Of recent years, there is a voice from Sarawak which has pro-independence stirring but the results over the last few election cycles do not seem to support the rise of a strong call for independence. Drawing parallels from the contentious issues concerning Texas border security, we discuss with Michele on how Sarawak could demonstrate a strong identity yet bringing out the flavours of self-determination and pursuit of happiness in this place we call home.

We are just one week away from the polling day for GE15 on 19th November 2022. So much is at stake – the economy, the business opportunities, and the livelihood of Malaysians. Should our unacquaintance with the Malaysian political landscape be a deterrent to casting our votes? Join us as we embark on this new exciting video podcast series that talk about all things political but relevant in our daily lives.

Recently, an AI image of “All Eyes on Rafah” surges on social media after what the cable news coined as “deadly Israeli airstrike killing dozens of civilians” based on reporting by Hamas-controlled local officials. Other alternative medias reported verified sources from IDF that strikes were conducted outside of designated humanitarian areas.

Increasingly, we are seeing schism caused by media biased which influence our political worldview. In this episode, we attempt to break down our thought processes and present ways to view news objectively without being overly emotional by the reporting.

Credit: Cartoon by Vitaly Podvitski

Just two weeks ago, Malaysia celebrated 65th Independence Day with parades being held at the Independence Square in KL. Only 12 years ago today, 16th September, Malaysia Day, was deemed a public holiday by our disgraced former Prime Minister, Najib Abdul Razak, to foster the Malaysian spirit.

If we had just celebrated Independence Day of Malaysia, what then are we commemorating on Malaysia Day? You won’t want to miss out on listening to this fascinating conversation between 4 Malaysians, West and East alike, on their views pertaining to 16 Sept and 31 Aug.

Daniel Moss, a Bloomberg Opinion Columnist, recently referenced the white flag movement (#benderaputih) to paint Malaysia as a nation that is heading towards a failed statehood. Nevertheless, the premise of this podcast's title is that there is a potential and gift that each one of us can bring to our nation which allows the nation to go towards its destiny - pushing it to a finishing line, a glorious future. Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.

Furthering our last episode on misinformation, a topic left unchecked over the last 24 months is the suppression of dissenting yet valid scientific discussion amongst the medical community concerning pandemic management; the lack of which has resulted in what we see as the re-programming of people's minds and emotions to be confined within the narrative of fear. George Orwell famously said in his book 1984 - “Power is in tearing human minds to pieces and putting them together again in new shapes of your own choosing.” Join us this week is our special guest, Dr. Roland Victor from The KL Sky Clinic KL, on the topic of medical freedom.

On the day Singapore officially separated from Malaysia on 9 August 1965 SUPP Founder and then Chairman Ong Kee Hui made the following remarks in Sarawak Legislature. “…We have the feeling that Malaysia will only succeed, if we have a truly Malaysian Malaysia, where every Malaysian will have his rightful place under the sun … now that Singapore is out of Malaysia, what then is the justification for its existence?

In this episode, we explore the very definition of self-determination in this journey of nation building.

Do leave a comment or email us at simon.says.podcast@protonmail.com

On 21 February 2024, we saw the demise of a notable longest serving head of state in Sarawak, former Governor and Chief Minister of Sarawak, Tun Taib Mahmud. Many obituaries were written; some coined him as the Father of Modern Sarawak, whilst others referred him as The Godfather of Sarawak. In this episode, we discuss the achievements and the controversies that followed thirty-three years of Taib's chief ministership. Is it one that resulted in political stability, social and religious harmony in Sarawak or one that caused schism between the various people groups in Sarawak?

Join Simon and Ram in the studio today as they discuss the political development in Malaysia, especially with regard to the political realignment that has been ongoing since May 2018. There’s a role that everyone across the society can play in this positive outlook of political realignment in the country – like what Ram said, start by being informed.

We are seeing some feisty fisticuffs in a Trump-less Republican debate night. There were some interesting school kids moments of show of hands to see who would support former President Trump as the party’s choice if he is convicted in a court of law, and there were other moments where ChatGPT’s and Obama’s words were being regurgitated by one of the Republican candidates. We give you our post debate view to see who’s the biggest winner and who’s the biggest loser of the fight night.

On the same night, former President Trump was running a counter programme with Tucker Carlson. Here we discussed why we are studying American election cycle closely as we glean useful insights for Malaysian context.

In this special episode to analyse the State Elections 2023 results, together with our special guest, David Tiang, we touch on several key issues, such as the legitimacy of Green wave, the Trump-like populist “Sanusi wave”, PAS’ clean sweep in Terengganu, super majority results in most of the 6 state elections, the irrelevance of UMNO, and what it means moving forward for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government.

We've got great news for you on today's episode! We are at a very exciting moment to see the significant impact on the direction of Malaysia with the rising up of engaged citizens and the populist movement.

You don't want to miss this broadcast to catch a vision of how you, an individual private citizen, can choose to make a positive change and turn things around. Join us to find out who's our special guest this broadcast!

Since last week, we see headlines and cable TV news chyrons all screamed the pithy sound bite. “The pandemic is 'spiraling out of control' due to unvaccinated people, Trump administration official says”, reads CNN headline. Such are the narratives that echoed Dr. Jerome Adams’ message, i.e., to get vaccinated for those who love freedom and hate mask mandates.

What will it take for us to return to a path of normalcy? Are vaccines truly the best solution, an elixir that will be the ultimate anti-COVID-19, as we learn to co-exist with the COVID-19 pandemic?

We owe it to ourselves to read up and to learn properly the science and policies behind mass vaccinations for COVID-19.

Some crypto enthusiasts intone the halving like a religious event with near mystical importance which relies on the hard-coded mining mechanics, whereas some detractors argued that it’s merely smoke and mirrors.

But here’s the key thing - so many people look to government for solution in light of falling Ringgit, when the only way out for us is to take accountability and initiative for financial security. In this episode, we have a special guest who is a self-taught Bitcoin enthusiast that challenges our mindset to explore the possibility of self-custody of assets that can’t be inflated away by the whims and fancies of those in power.

Edmund Burke, an Irish-British statesman, famously said, "In history, a great volume is unrolled for our instruction, drawing the materials of future wisdom from the past errors and infirmities of mankind." 

Following our last conversation pertaining to the purpose of exposing corruption in episode 12 of season 4, we deep dive into the breaches in our nation, particularly in the lineage of Razak. Here’s part 1 of this episode!

According to Nielsen, the television ratings of the first night of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) sunk 22 percent from 2016. The ratings crash came after the media spent countless hours hyping Biden’s D.E.I. hire, Harris’s “historic” candidacy. It appears that the Democrats are so desperate to even spread a lie through TMZ on “big surprise performer” on the final night of DNC.

While many mainstream media are quick to defend and erase the fact that Harris was a D.E.I. hire, we see the contagious power of hope that Michelle Obama proclaimed when she acknowledged that Kamala Harris’ mother moved here from India at 19. Clearly she knows Harris is an Indian.

In this episode, we observed that it didn’t take long for Harris nor Obama to make it abundantly clear that former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for president, is living rent free in their heads, going on and on about him in their divisive rant.

We are just one day away from the polling day where the registered electors in Selangor, Penang, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu will be determining the fate of their state legislative assembly away from the general elections for the first time in history.

Will Muda party, led by Syed Saddiq, tank in this state elections, or will they be successful in emerging as the third force to challenge the lack of reforms by the incumbent unity government?

Is green wave narrative a real threat, as propagated by Pakatan Harapan leaders, as well as pro PH media?

Is affirmative actions here to stay following Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's reply to a student that abolishing quota system will cost him the state elections?

The radical left, fascists, Marxists, communists, and normal people — have said that the CNN town hall was a total complete victory for Trump. Former CNN employee, Brian Stelter noted that the event garnered 703,000 viewers in the 25-54-year-old key demographic – which is five times better than CNN’s usual performance in the 8:00 p.m. time slot.

You'd definitely want to tune in to this episode to see why CNN was "traumatised" by the event despite the high ratings.

Transcript of CNN’s town hall with former President Donald Trump from CNN politics - https://edition.cnn.com/2023/05/11/politics/transcript-cnn-town-hall-trump/index.html

Learn the power of the voice of the youth to redeem the identity of Malaysia, automatic registration and how that impacts Malaysia in this episode. So we need you, youth - you can make a positive impact for Malaysia!

Despite the PN17 issued by Bursa Malaysia (signifying the financial distress of a listed company), the Health Minister, Dr. Zaliha Mustafa, has nothing but high praises for Pharmaniaga Logistics Sdn Bhd, which was touted to have 98% KPI performance in its fulfillment.

Now, the question is - When are we seeing the reforms that are so promised by the incumbent unity government when we are seeing tremendous aid that is given to a government-linked company in an environment that is very much being monopolised by the political arms?

On a world stage, Malaysia cosies up to Russia with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s working visit to Russia in early September 2024 to advance Malaysia’s interest by strengthening ties with Russia. While many has lauded Anwar Ibrahim’s explosive statement on the Israel-Palestine conflict, Prime Minister of Malaysia seems to have taken a liking to threatening his fellow Malaysians to use all of his power and strength to ensure continuation of groupthink and compliance to “Eastern values”.

Malaysia’s position in the World Press Freedom Index tanked 34 places to 107th position this year as compared to previous year, yet the position taken by current administration is that such ranking is still good compared to the previous administration. It’s becoming alarming when Anwar likes to lecture other countries about freedom but believes that Malaysians can do without. In this podcast episode, we discuss such vintage strongman rhetoric that Anwar Ibrahim has demonstrated.