Khairy Jamaluddin kicks off ABU CON-FEST 2024 with keynote presentation

Former Malaysian politician and current podcaster Khairy Jamaluddin delivered the keynote presentation at ABU CON-FEST 2024 today. Speaking to a packed audience, the former health minister, who also served as minister of youth and sports and minister of science, technology, and innovation, shared his journey from politics to podcasting.

Khairy discussed his podcast "Keluar Sekejap," which he co-hosts with Shahril Hamdan. The podcast launched on March 1, 2023, with its first official episode released on March 7, 2023, on YouTube and Spotify. It quickly became Malaysia's top podcast, regularly ranking first on Spotify.

In his address, Khairy emphasised the unique approach of their podcast. "We try to disrupt the notion of podcasts," he said. "To us, podcasts are everything - audio, video, and social media. We make sure we are everything." He clarified that their content aims to provide analysis and insights rather than compete with traditional news. "We are disrupting the news so that people know what we think of the news," he added.

Khairy highlighted the importance of offering insider perspectives and detailed analysis on topics like cabinet reshuffling and pension reforms, which have influenced legal and policy changes. He also shared insights on content frequency, stating that they have found a balance with two episodes every ten days.

Khairy ended his presentation by advising content producers not to chase every opportunity for profit, particularly in today's political climate where certain brands may be associated with unethical issues.

ABU CON-FEST 2024 combines ABU's signature content events: ABU TV-CON, ABU RadioSonic, and #ABUdigital. The event, which runs from July 2 to 4 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, aims to bring together producers to share experiences and discuss creating impactful content.