New Naratif's Political Agenda

On today's episode, PJ Thum speaks to Faris Joraimi about his book, Raffles Renounced. They talk about how the book came about, how it rejects the orthodoxy of Singapore’s history, its national myth, and how it challenges the Raffles-centric view of the country’s history. They also discuss race and what it means to be Malay in a hyper-racialised society. This interview was recorded on 8 May 2021 and has been edited for clarity. Please visit New Naratif's Youtube channel for the full interview. Purchase Raffles Renounced at https://www.ethosbooks.com.sg/products/rafflesrenounced

Ryaihanny Sahrom is a legal professional and a freelance writer with a passion in human rights for marginalised genders. Speaking to PJ Thum and Sean Francis Han, she argues that effectively addressing crime requires a societal shift in how we define justice, moving from retribution towards abolishing the environmental conditions that create it in the first place. This, she argues, is also an Islamic approach to transformative justice. Resources to start your journey on abolitionist politics: http://criticalresistance.org/resources/ Are Prisons Obsolete? Why I Believe Prison Abolition is a Muslim Issue

Up and Out is an Instagram page dedicated to better quality sex education for Singaporean youth, while also speaking out against the outdated sex-ed curriculum of the Singapore education system. PJ Thum and Sean Francis Han (Wake Up, Singapore) talk to the founders, Vanessa and Vivian, about the importance of uncensored, inclusive, and holistic sex education and how it can be achieved. They also discuss their own lives and how they became activists. This podcast was recorded on 21 January 2021. You can donate to them here. To learn more and support their cause, please visit: Shop Catalogue   Survivor Waitlist Linktree If you are a business owner or an artist of any kind, and you want to collaborate, you can DM them on Instagram or send an email to upandout.contact@gmail.com. This episode is a collaboration with Wake Up, Singapore. You can find out more about them online on their website, Facebook and Instagram.

Aleesha Khan works on sexual violence and mental health in Singapore and she runs Self_ally, an Instagram page which provides resources to survivors of trauma and abuse. She talks to PJ Thum and Sean Francis Han (Wake Up, Singapore) about her life story, her activism, and her work. They discuss some of the psychology of racism in Singapore, from both the viewpoint of those who perpetuate racism and those who experience it, and what might be done about it. This episode is a collaboration with Wake Up, Singapore. You can find out more about them online on their website, Facebook and Instagram. For more, please see instagram.com/self_ally

Trigger Warning: Sexual violence and self-harm At seven, Devika Satheesh Panicker was sexually assaulted. After a year of abuse, her parents learnt of the matter and the perpetrator was arrested and incarcerated. Yet this was only the beginning of a long journey for her, first as a survivor and subsequently as an advocate for sexual violence awareness. Sean Francis Han (Wake Up Singapore) and PJ Thum talk to her about her life and experiences, her career and advocacy, and her experience as an actress and Vasantham beauty pageant winner. In particular, she discusses the issues and challenges around sexual violence in Singapore (particularly around the issue of consent) and provides crucial advice for how to listen and help survivors. This episode is a collaboration with Wake Up, Singapore. You can find out more about them online on their website, Facebook and Instagram.

Min Cheong and Jufri Salim of the Singapore Democratic Party sit down with Sean Francis Han (Wake Up Singapore) and PJ Thum to talk about why they decided to join politics, what they hope to achieve, and their vision for Singapore. They also talk about the evolving challenges of politics in Singapore, the false dichotomy between democratic values and "bread and butter" issues, and about housing, inequality, and education policy. About the SDP: yoursdp.org This podcast has been edited for clarity. For the full interview, please visit our website to watch the Youtube video. This episode is a collaboration with Wake Up, Singapore. You can find out more about them online on their website, Facebook and Instagram.

Jolene Tan is author of "After The Inquiry", a new novel on censorship, propaganda, idealism, and everyday authoritarianism in Singapore. She discusses the novel with PJ Thum, and they go into detail in particular about the protagonist, Teck, and what the novel might reveal about Singapore. In the non-spoiler discussion, they delve into depth about the unseen forces which shape how Singaporeans think and act; how certain values are replicated by the incentive structures of the system; and her authorial process. This interview has been edited for clarity. Please watch the Youtube video above for the full version, which includes the spoiler discussion, in which they dive deeper into the plot and ending. You can purchase the novel at https://www.ethosbooks.com.sg/collections/latest/products/after-the-inquiry Learn more about Jolene at https://jolenetan.org/