What Now? Jom Ah Lepak

04/06/2025

Continuing our journey with the Harapan Shirt ✊ Had a quick catch-up with to hear about his amazing work at and the progress of his podcast .lesson.plan.

A lot has changed since we last met and bro, you’re seriously stacked 😂 But it’s truly inspiring to hear your reflections and relentless drive to improve education in Malaysia. Onwards and upwards, always! 🚀

31/05/2025

🚨 NEW PODCAST EPISODE OUT NOW 🚨
🎙 "Addiction Isn’t a Crime — So Why Is Our Law Treating It Like One?" With Dr. Prem Kumar Shanmugam, CEO & Clinical Director of Solace Asia

We’re proud to release one of our most important episodes yet — diving deep into the real-life impact of Malaysia’s drug policies on individuals and families struggling with addiction.

In this conversation, Dr. Prem unpacks the Drug Dependants (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act, questioning whether our legal system truly supports healing — or reinforces harm. We explore how current laws criminalise addiction, why punitive methods fall short, and what a compassionate, science-driven approach could look like in Malaysia.

Key topics include:
🔹 What actually happens when someone is caught under the current Act
🔹 The case for decriminalisation and the myth of deterrence
🔹 The psychological and societal roots of youth addiction
🔹 Why rehab must go beyond detox — and involve community, purpose, and care
🔹 How NGOs, private centres, and families can play a bigger role in real reform

We’re incredibly grateful to Solace Rehab for reaching out and making this conversation possible. The work they’re doing is changing lives — and policies.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7vvUtKQQQGj5Vh3OOAepv7?si=XlsLn21RTVCUWmYRT1xYAQ
📺 Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/iaPrICi1IFU

💬 This episode is for policymakers, educators, youth workers — and anyone who believes healing should come before punishment.

In this powerful episode, we sit down with the founder of Solace Asia, a leading voice in addiction recovery, to explore his personal journey from addiction ...

31/05/2025

🚨 NEW EPISODE OUT NOW 🚨
“Addiction Isn’t a Crime — So Why Is Our Law Treating It Like One?” ft. Dr. Prem Kumar Shanmugam, CEO of Solace Asia

In this powerful episode, Dr. Prem explains why Malaysia’s approach to addiction needs to change. Is addiction really a crime, or should we treat it as a health issue? Tune in now to find out!

🎧 Listen now! [Link in bio]

30/05/2025

Had such a good time with our first guest of the year, ! Super chill and friendly but honestly, our off-mic convo was way more interesting than what made it into the podcast 😂

Glad I got to bring you around UM too (walaupun kena halau dari library 😅). It’s always refreshing to have these kinds of conversations, the ones that remind you why you started this in the first place.

Also, quick update!
This year, we’re trying something new, “The Shirt of Hope” (still a working name, bear with us 🥲). As we focus more on nation-building, we want to invite both our guests and listeners to write down their hopes for Malaysia. It’s our way of documenting this journey, through every person we lepaked with, every story we shared, and every bit of belief that a better Malaysia is possible. One story, one hope at a time 🇲🇾

We really want this podcast to grow into something meaningful, a space where honest conversations can happen, and where we can amplify voices that deserve to be heard. If there’s someone you think we should feature next, tag them or DM us! Whether it’s someone inspiring from your community or someone quietly doing impactful work — we want to hear their story.

Let’s build this together ❤️

17/05/2025

Congrats and Hakimi on getting married! So happy seeing you guys enjoying your time together 😄

P.S sedap gila do coffee nescafe korang 😭 need to comeback and try again

14/05/2025

From Sarawak to the world 🌍📚
Meet Cikgu Nazmi — Winner of the Malaysia Teacher Prize 2023 & Global Teacher Prize Top 10 Finalist!

This , we lepaked with the real-life Professor X 🧠✨

🎧 Part 1 drops this Friday, 3PM (MYT)
🎧 Part 2 drops on Saturday, same time!

24/03/2025

Last Friday, I pulled up to East KL to catch up with and her dad—had to surprise them with a little gift! 🎁 Safe to say, the mug was a hit (swipe left to see the reference 👀).

Keeping up with our tradition, 2024’s Most Viewed Episode Award goes to Dayana ft. her dad! Huge shoutout to them for making it such a wholesome and memorable episode.

Now, if only could learn some manners when talking to elders… 😭🙏🏼

20/03/2025

Dropped by the today to personally thank and Eizaz for their incredible support in our education mini-series last time around! Truly grateful for all the effort and insights you both shared—it wouldn’t have been the same without you.

Brought along some small gifts as a token of appreciation—hopefully, Danial enjoys his, and little Embun gets to steal a bit of the spotlight too! As for Eizaz, we figured he might need a coaster for all those… totally non-alcoholic drinks (stay hydrated, my guy).

Hope you guys enjoy them, and looking forward to more collaborations and great conversations ahead!

12/03/2025

🌙 Ramadan: Too Late to Change? 🤔

As we enter the last half of Ramadan, many of us wonder—are our sins too great to be forgiven? Can we still turn back? This is the month of mercy, redemption, and new beginnings. No soul is beyond Allah’s forgiveness—but are we ready to take the first step?

📍 LIVE on YouTube
🗓 Sunday, 16 March
⏰ 10:00PM - 11:30PM (MYT) | 2:00PM - 3:30PM (GMT/UK/Irish Time)

🔗 Join the conversation:

31/12/2024

This year has been a rollercoaster. From exciting episodes with inspiring Malaysians to reconnecting with past guests, we’ve had some incredible highs. But it’s also been a tough year, with internal setbacks and challenges that tested us in ways we didn’t expect.

What Now? Jom Ah Lepak!! started as a passion project by two best friends with a dream, and despite being a small podcast run by young people, we’re proud to have created the shows we wanted to share with the world. 🌍

To our amazing guests, collaborators, and YOU – our loyal listeners – thank you for your unwavering support. Your encouragement has kept us going through the tough times and helped us celebrate the good ones.

As we look ahead, we’ll be taking a small hiatus to reflect and carefully plan our next steps. We want to come back stronger and continue bringing stories that inspire, entertain, and unite. Here’s to new beginnings in 2025! 💛

What was your favorite moment of 2024? Let us know in the comments – we’d love to hear from you! 💬

12/12/2024

From a Ministerial Perspective, we delve into the transformative leadership of Tan Sri Idris Jusoh—a visionary who reshaped Malaysia’s education system with impactful programs and forward-looking policies. 🌟

In this episode, we explore:
🔹 His vision behind the Ulul Albab Program and its balance of Islamic and modern education.
🔹 The groundbreaking APEL initiative that expanded access to higher education.
🔹 Strategies to ensure university courses remain relevant in the IR 4.0 landscape.
🔹 Insights on preparing a skilled workforce and adapting to modern career paths like content creation.

Gain valuable perspectives on how policy-making drives meaningful change in education. Tune in tomorrow 9PM!

This episode is in collaboration with

.0

30/11/2024

With all the discussions about bringing back UPSR and PT3, it’s clear that Malaysia’s education system needs more than surface-level changes.

But are we truly addressing the core issues?This Sunday, Syed A Haikal be hosting a special livestream with Ustaz Hasrizal, in collaboration with Asian Strategy & Leadership Institute to dive into some of the most pressing questions:

✅ How can public school policies evolve to prepare students for the future?
✅ Can political reform and education reform work hand in hand?
✅ Is our education philosophy aligned with 21st-century challenges?

📅 Date: Sunday, 1st December
⏰ Time: 5 PM - 6 PM (+8GMT)
📍 Platform: What Now? Jom Ah Lepak!! YouTube Channel💡

Link to our channel: https://youtube.com/?si=ookGVq01KaP4SVy1

If you’re an educator, policymaker, student, or simply passionate about meaningful education reform, this session is for you. Let’s challenge the status quo and spark ideas for a brighter future for Malaysia.