Sabah’s election delivered a ‘Sabah for Sabahans’ verdict. Local parties surged, federal allies faltered, and youth votes reshaped outcomes. GRS holds power, Warisan stands as the largest standalone party, and DAP faces its first wipeout in two decades. We explore.

• Sabah mining scandal deepens: With viral footage of businessman Albert Tei’s detention sparking outrage, activists and lawyers accuse the commission of overreach and call for its chief to step aside. We speak to Lawyers for Liberty’s Zaid Malek on why the controversy raises bigger questions about accountability and power in Malaysia’s anti‑graft fight.

• World Aids Day, and Malaysia's progress: Malaysia marks real progress in cutting HIV infections and expanding treatment access, but rising cases among young people reveal how stigma and silence still shape the fight. With most new infections now sexually transmitted, experts say digital outreach, education, and youth involvement are key to ending AIDS by 2030.

• Chow Kit spa raid: The Chow Kit spa raid that saw over 200 men detained has ended without charges, but not without controversy. Rights groups warn of discrimination and privacy breaches after videos of detainees circulated online, while questions remain about how their rights were handled. We speak to Justice for Sisters co-founder Thilaga Sulathireh about this.

• "Rage bait” is Oxford's word of the year: A term that captures how outrage now fuels online engagement, usage has been tripling in 2024. This rise of inflammatory, divisive content shows how anger is being monetised, reshaping political narratives and public discourse. We look at the phenomenon, its impact, and who’s really to blame.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

Produced by: Alia Zefri, Sneha Harikannan, Juliet Jacobs, Dashran Yohan

Presented by: Sharaad Kuttan, Dashran Yohan

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Categories:  politics,  corruption,  health policy

Tags:  ronald kiandee,  hajiji noor,  PMX Sayang Sabah,  rage bait,  hiv,  sabah for sabahans,  dap,  anwar ibrahim,  internet culture,  world aids day,