Podcast

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Episode 4: on GE, GST and Johnny Depp

Three varying opinions on when Malaysia should head to the polls

Updated 3 years ago · Published on 11 Jun 2022 9:00AM

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Episode 4: on GE, GST and Johnny Depp
(From left) Terence Fernandez, Rocky Bru and Zainul Ariffin Mohamed Isa discuss this week's hot topics. – ALIF OMAR/The Vibes pic, June 11, 2022

THE question of when the next general election will be held has been a hot topic, full of rife speculation.

The need for pragmatism is at hand. The country, it is said, is at risk of going into disarray, with a weak administration being a source of frustration for the rakyat.

That, and the fact that Malaysians have endured three prime ministers since Pakatan Harapan (PH) won the election in the 14th general election (GE14), is reason enough to call for early polls.

But can the incumbent prime minister afford to have the general election this year? Can he afford to stave it off to next year?

Panellists Datuk Zainul Ariffin Mohamed Isa, Datuk “Rocky” Ahirudin Attan and Terence Fernandez have differing opinions on the subject.

Malaysia has the distinction of being the only country in the world to have had the goods and services tax (GST) done away with, to be replaced by the sales and services tax (SST).

PH made a campaign promise to this effect to an ill-informed electorate in GE14, to the detriment of our public coffers. Will the political coalition now have the backbone to reverse an unpopular decision?

Shazmin Shamsuddin also chimes in, looking back at the recent very public courtroom drama involving Johnny Depp and Amber Heard.

The Vibes’ Culture and Lifestyle editor shares her perspective on the trial and the outcome, and also discusses if the #MeToo movement has been even remotely set back by the verdict favouring a man in a domestic abuse he-said-she-said. – The Vibes, June 11, 2022

Presented by Petra News chief executive Datuk Zainul Ariffin Mohamed Isa, executive director Datuk Ahirudin Attan (better known as Rocky Bru) and editor-in-chief Terence Fernandez

Produced by Shazmin Shamsuddin and sound engineered by Ethan Phoon

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