BFM :: The Bigger Picture

Malaysia’s future is guided by two major documents - the 11th Malaysia Plan (2016-2020) and the Sustainable Development Goals (2016-2030). How can these frameworks be translated into policy and practice? Datuk Dr. Denison Jayasooria, Principal Research Fellow of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, explains.

The April 2013 collapse of the Rana Plaza factory building in Bangladesh killed 1,134 people and left thousands more injured. It also brought worldwide attention to the appalling working conditions of garment factory workers who produce clothing for the world's retail stores. The Fashion Revolution movement was born from this incident and calls for accountability in the process of making clothes. We speak to Sasibai Kimis and Laura Francois, the Fashion Revolution Malaysia team, about why we should all be concerned about ethical fashion manufacturing.

If you like today's interview and wonder why sustainable development is a challenge, listen to this podcast where Datuk Dr. Denison Jayasooria explains the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

According to the WWF, half of the world's original forest cover has been lost over the past 50 years. This has resulted in the entire ecosystem falling apart, and with that, dire consequences for us all. The Tropical Rainforest Conservation Research Centre (TRCRC) aims to reintroduce rare and endangered rainforest plant species back into its native habitats in Malaysia and we find out how from TRCRC's Dr. Dzaeman Dzulkifli and Dr. Tajang Jinggut. 

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. This week, Fertility Specialist Dato Dr Prashant Nadkarni joins him for a discussion about the ethical and medical issues with Simon Watson, the British man who fathered more than 800 children. The unlicensed sperm donor finds his clients on Facebook, charging £50 per donation. 

Dr Prashant Nadkarni had previously discussed fertility topics including how to have that perfect baby and the latest technology in fertility treatment. He has also discussed the ethical issues surrounding fertility and childbirth including gene superiority, whether you can keep your dead husband’s sperm or if it’s possible to conceive your dead daughter’s baby. If you are interested in more topics like this, look up the fertility tag under bfm.my/healthandliving.

Established over 20 years ago, Home of Peace is a home for underprivileged girls, which places an emphasis on education, while providing a safe, loving environment for the girls to grow up in. We speak to founder Justine Morais about her work and dedication in ensuring the girls in her charge have the same opportunities that she herself enjoyed while growing up.

On April 26th, 2010, Aminulrasyid Amzah was killed in a police shooting incident. Corporal Jenain Subi shot 21 times at the white Proton Iswara Aminulrasyid was driving. Initially, it was reported that an armed robber was shot dead, but the 14-year-old Aminulrasyid was merely avoiding a roadblock, which turned into a police chase. He died 200 metres away from his home in a Shah Alam suburb. The court case made national headlines, and Corporal Jenain was eventually acquitted for culpable homicide in 2013.

The family of Aminulrasyid subsequently filed a civil suit against the police and the Malaysian government. Last month, the Shah Alam High Court awarded the family more than RM400,000 in damages. We speak to the lawyer representing Aminulrasyid’s family, Latheefa Koya.

The two singers, Talitha Tan and Gabriel Lynch, each  will be performing their original compositions mostly, and then some covers. And to add variety, they will sing duets. However, they will only be accompanied by an acoustic guitar. No band. One person with one guitar. They’ll tell us why they are doing this, and in the course of the conversation we’ll find out who these young singers are and the English-language indie music in the country.

Haemophilia has featured prominently in European royalty in the 19th and 20th centuries, sometimes known as 'the royal disease'. World Haemophilia Day falls on April 17 and to help us understand the rare illness are haematologists Dr Mike Laffan and Dr Hishamshah Ibrahim. This programme is brought to you in collaboration with Pfizer Malaysia.

So rarely does Chinese Opera get staged in a commercial theatre space. But there’s one coming up, and we have the director and one of his collaborators share on its appeal and on the staging of the performance titled ‘Tai Hei’, which will be in English. Will this be like yoking a cow with a horse?

For survivors of rape, taking a case to court can exact a heavy physical and mental toll, due to intimidation by the accused, or a lack of support from family members. Furthermore, a survey conducted by the Women’s Centre for Change, or WCC, revealed that only 4% of cases involving sex abuse resulted in guilty verdicts, while almost half will end in discharge not amounting to an acquittal. WCC’s Senior Advocacy Officer Melissa Mohd Akhir was here to talk about a new campaign to make the legal system less intimidating for survivors of sex abuse.

To get more details about the work WCC is doing, visit their website at wccpenang.org