Are We OK?

In this episode of Are We OK, Dr. Ong Kian Ming and Peter (Mr. Money) sit down to break down the government's recent Budget announcement. Is it a real plan to fix the country's problems, or a budget made to win votes before the next election? We look at it from every angle in simple words.We start with the money side. Why does the government's deficit look smaller even with so many goodies and handouts? Why is the petrol subsidy, costing about RM40 billion a year, still the biggest problem nobody wants to touch? We also talk about the new RM2,500 minimum pay for graduates and semi-skilled workers, how it may affect small businesses, and what the government's plan to mix SST and GST really means for you.Then we get into the politics. Will this budget actually win votes, including in the upcoming Melaka state election? How did the opposition respond, including Bersama's own alternative budget? And when might the next general election happen? We also ask the big question: is Anwar a true reformer, or is this just politics as usual?Chapter Marker:00:00 - Teaser00:36 - Intro: Peter's Interview with the Treasury Secretary General04:38 - How We Will Break Down Budget 2027 (Four Analytical Lenses: Policy, Politics, Outstanding Questions, and Opposition Response)06:16 - Policy Perspective: Why This is a Clever Election Budget Powered by Strong GDP Numbers09:34 - The Elephant in the Room: RM40 Billion Petrol Subsidy13:52 - A Smarter Way to Do Petrol Subsidy: Tiered Pricing18:25 - The Risks Ahead: Slower Growth and Data Centres21:03 - Will the Budget Win Votes? Melaka Election and Beyond28:00 - Equal Funding for MPs: Is Anwar a True Reformer?31:15 - Outstanding Questions: Minimum Wage Increase, Who Will Be Affected?36:52 - RM2,500 for Graduates and Semi Skilled Workers: Can It Work?43:34 - The SST and GST Mix: Why It Could Get Confusing46:34 - E-Invoicing: Why Is It So Unpopular?50:17 - Opposition Response: Bersama's Alternative Budget54:31 - Opposition Leader Hamzah's Response58:16 - When Will the Next Election Be Called?#AreWeOK #Budget2027 #MalaysianPolitics #MalaysianEconomy #AnwarIbrahim #PetrolSubsidy #MinimumWage #GST #PodcastMalaysia

In this episode of Are We OK, we sit down with Lua Bo Feng, known online as Bo Borak Moto, a car enthusiast and content creator who has built a huge following talking about Malaysia's auto industry. We get his honest take on why he thinks MITI is controlling the EV and car market too much, from setting minimum prices to blocking certain brands from selling freely.We break down his biggest complaints, including why he calls some of MITI's decisions "banana republic" level policymaking, how the B40 group ends up paying more for cars because of these rules, and the real story behind why BYD faced sudden restrictions this year. We also talk about the lack of transparency in how the government decides which car companies get special incentives.Finally, we zoom out to ask a bigger question. Should Malaysia keep protecting local car companies at the expense of everyday buyers, or is it time to let the market compete freely so prices can come down for the people who need it most.00:00 - Teaser00:48 - Meet Bo Borak Moto: From Classic Cars to Viral TikTok02:14 - How Bo Started His Channel During MCO06:15 - Did MITI Ever Reach Out to Bo Directly?07:18 - Bo's First Gripe: MITI "Mothering" the Car Industry08:34 - Why B40 Buyers End Up Subsidizing the Industry13:45 - The EV Dilemma: Are Electric Cars Really Saving You Money17:28 - The Lack of Transparency in MITI's Incentive Framework21:17 - What Is ABDC and Why Its Rules Are Kept Secret25:31 - Was the BYD Restriction a Communications Issue or Something Deeper?29:46 - Breaking Down MITI's May EV Policy Announcement32:12 - Did the Pressure on BYD Come From Higher Up?37:17 - Taking Off the MITI Hat: A National Cost Perspective40:07 - What Should MITI's Real Job Actually Be?#AreWeOK #MalaysianPolitics #BoBorakMoto #MITI #EVMalaysia #AutomotivePolicy #PodcastMalaysia #Proton #Perodua #BYD #MalaysianEconomy #PublicPolicy #CarReviewMY

In this episode of Are We OK, Dr. Ong Kian Ming finally opens up about why he resigned from DAP after 14 years, choosing Merdeka Day to make it official. He explains the three real reasons behind his decision, from his pledge to help Khairy Jamaluddin campaign to his concerns over where DAP is heading next.We also dive into Secretary General Anthony Loke's pointed "habis madu, sepah dibuang" remark, widely seen as aimed at Dr Ong, and give him the chance to respond directly and explain his side. From there, the conversation turns to who might replace Anthony Loke as Secretary General, and what that could mean for DAP's future direction and image.Finally, Dr Ong and Peter talk about the bigger shift happening in Malaysian politics, where individual leaders are starting to matter more than party loyalty, and whether DAP is still able to attract fresh talent heading into GE16.00:00 - Teaser02:02 - Why Dr Ong Chose Merdeka Day03:05 - The Media Reaction04:30 - Anthony Loke's "Madu" Remark06:36 - Was The Remark Fair?10:52 - Three Reasons Behind The Resignation11:03 - Reason 1: Why Campaigning For Khairy Was a Sackable Offence12:49 - Reason 2: Where DAP Is Heading15:35 - Who Replaces Anthony Loke?16:50 - What DAP Looks Like Under Nga Kor Ming19:28 - Telling Friends Before Going Public20:58 - Reason 3: Why Politicians Journey Alone29:35 - Addressing The "Madu" Accusation Directly34:30 - Did Dr Ong Really Benefit From The Party?37:42 - What Political Parties Owe Their Alumni39:28 - Why DAP Might Struggle to Attract Young Professionals in the Future46:22 - Balancing Merit And Loyalty In Politics48:57 - Final Thoughts#AreWeOK #MalaysianPolitics #DAP #OngKianMing #AnthonyLoke #KhairyJamaluddin #GE16 #PodcastMalaysia

Most Malaysians know Bukit Kayu Hitam as a quiet border town you drive through on your way to Thailand for a holiday or food trip. But what if it's quietly becoming one of Malaysia's most important digital and economic gateways?In this episode of Are We OK, we sit down with Razwin Sulairee (CEO of Northern Gateway) and Wong Weng Yew (MD of Open DC) to find out how this border town is turning into Malaysia's newest data center and business hub, Delapan.We find out how a quiet checkpoint is becoming a billion ringgit trade and tech zone, why your gaming lag might be linked to something called "boomerang traffic," and how Delapan plans to bring in manufacturing, renewable energy, tourism, and jobs for the local community in Kedah.Timestamps 00:00 - Teaser00:46 - Welcome & Introduction04:14 - What is Northern Gateway & Why Is It Called "Delapan"?05:16 - From Kota Perdana to Delapan: The Rebrand Story06:15 - Turning a Border Checkpoint Into a Business Opportunity08:19 - Exact Location: Bukit Kayu Hitam & How Big Is Delapan?10:49 - RM60 Billion in Trade: The Scale of Border Traffic11:45 - Meet Open DC & Extreme Broadband14:23 - How Open DC First Got Involved With Delapan16:51 - Discovering Delapan's Hidden Potential18:28 - Being the First Data Center Player in Northern Malaysia19:07 - Why Your Internet Lags (And How Delapan Can Fix It)22:39 - Learning From Johor: A Smarter Data Center Policy25:12 - The Game Plan: Utilities First, Then Manufacturing28:19 - Why Kedah Is Perfect for Solar & Renewable Energy29:12 - Working With Federal and State Governments32:40 - Plans for Shops, Hotels & Homes in Delapan33:45 - Millions of Malaysians & Thais Cross This Border Every Year35:08 - Building Local Talent for the Future36:56 - Job Opportunities at Open DC#AreWeOK #Delapan #NorthernGateway #OpenDC #BukitKayuHitam #DataCenterMalaysia #BorderEconomy #Kedah #MalaysiaThailand #PodcastMalaysia

In this episode of Are We OK, Dr. Ong Kian Ming and Peter break down what really happened in the Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections, and why Kian Ming's election predictions, made months in advance, turned out to be almost exactly right. They also go behind the scenes of DAP's Special Congress, where party delegates just voted on whether to stay in or resign from the Madani government, and unpack the self-interest calculations different DAP leaders are making.Finally, they look ahead to when Malaysia's next general election (GE16) might actually happen, walking through the political dominoes, from the Melaka state election to pressure building within UMNO, that could speed up or delay the vote.00:00 - Teaser00:38 - Welcome Back & Life Updates04:34 - Predicting Johor & Negeri Sembilan: How Kian Ming Got It Right07:02 - On the Ground Vibes in Johor11:58 - The Collapse of Malay Support for Pakatan Harapan13:46 - The Leader Who Divides Chinese and Malay Voters18:51 - Why Voter Turnout Matters More Than You Think22:22 - The Backlash Against Accurate Predictions23:50 - When Politicians Mock the Numbers (And Get It Wrong)29:24 - The Help DAP Leaders Turned Down34:40 - DAP's Special Congress: Stay or Resign?35:35 - What's Actually at Stake for DAP Delegates41:22 - Behind the Curtain: Why Each Leader Wants a Different Outcome48:44 - DAP's Last Card Against Anwar56:44 - The Delegate Votes That Decide Careers1:01:15 - When Will GE16 Happen?1:04:16 - The Melaka Election & Pressure on Umno1:07:28 - Predicted GE16 Timeline: Early Next Year1:13:07 - The Worst-Case Scenario for DAP1:15:53 - Final Thoughts & Open Invitation to Political Leaders#AreWeOK #MalaysianPolitics #DAP #GE16 #JohorElection #NegeriSembilanElection #PakatanHarapan #PodcastMalaysia