KUALA LUMPUR (May 19): The thing with addiction is that you don’t know when it’s becoming a problem. You don’t really realise you have a problem or are in dire need of help. It’s very rare that people willingly seek support to overcome their addictions,” says Prof Dr Prem Kumar Shanmugam, founder and CEO of Solace Asia, Malaysia’s premier private rehabilitation centre.

This stark reality underscores the silent, pervasive nature of addiction and the immense challenge of recognising and seeking help. Renowned for its expert clinicians and advanced treatment modalities, Solace Asia excels in mental health care, addiction recovery and relapse prevention. Prem shares his harrowing journey of overcoming alcohol dependency and explores personal stories of struggle, resilience and ultimate triumph in our cover story this week.

When Mercedes-Benz debuted the G580 with EQ technology — an all-electric variant of the famed Geländewagen, or colloquially G-Wagen, that is just as capable as its combustion counterpart — last month in Beijing, company executives and aficionados bandied about the question: Will this deluxe sports utility vehicle (SUV) with an Olympian physique still drive like a champ? Find out more about “the G” in our Auto Chic section.

Young Orang Asli women are speaking up and using social films to advocate change and tell indigenous communities about their rights under a collective called Apa Kata Wanita Orang Asli (AKWOA). When AKWOA started in 2018, members struggled to speak out about what they see and know. Now, empowered from finding their voice and being heard, they have begun to approach different stakeholders, like public and private bodies, in the hope that with facts in hand, those with the authority and means to determine policy can do something to help them.

Read about these and more in our May 20, 2023 issue of Options, out with The Edge Malaysia weekly.

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