Current Affairs

Reports have emerged that Muhammad Wanndy Muhammad Jedi, the Malaysian-born recruiter for Islamic State, was killed in a drone attack in Syria last week. The Home Ministry however has so far been unable to verify his death.

Wanndy is just one member of the Islamic State’s network of affiliates operating in South East Asia. As the caliphate loses ground in the Middle East, there are fears that IS militants from the ASEAN region, may carry out more terrorist attacks in their home countries

We explore to what extent the Islamic State is capable of building a transnational terrorist network in South East Asia, and if IS can overcome cultural, ideological and logistical challenges to achieve its goal of a new caliphate in this region.

This is a report by Jason Lim.

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Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) have parted ways.Last week PAS' highest decision-making body, the Syura Council, ended political cooperation between the former allies. However expectations that PAS would stop supporting Selangor’s Pakatan government and that its 3 state Excos members would exit have not transpired. This morning’s papers reflect some of the current uncertainty: Sinar Harian’s headline “Tunggu Azmin” (Waiting for Azmin) as well as NST’s front-page which claims that PKR Appointees in the Kelantan state govt are to step down. Today we look at the impact of this on the stability of the Selangor state government.

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Yesterday, President Xi Jinping hosted dozens of world leaders and senior officials to talk about the creation of the new Silk Road in what is dubbed as the country’s biggest diplomatic showcase of the year, China’s Belt and Road conference aims to consolidate support for a project aimed at opening trade routes across the globe. Pledging billions to the plan, Xi called for countries to move beyond rivalry and diplomatic power games.

However, India struck a dissenting note by not attending the conference while criticising the plan as imposing an "unsustainable debt burden" for countries involved, but also affecting its own sovereignty. China’s uphill climb in propelling itself to become the global influencer seems exciting, but is this too good to be true?

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Yesterday the Home Minister confirmed that the three Turkish men detained over national security concerns would be deported to Turkey if found guilty, despite pleas from their families for them to be sent to a third country instead. In response to the arrests, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Bangkok expressed its concern about their possible deportation, which now seems imminent. Today, we look at how adequate are the media frames in understanding this episode.

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On Tuesday South Koreans went to the polls to elect a new President following the popular ouster of the predecessor Park Guen Hye. The winner, liberal politician Moon Jae-in, won with 41 percent of the votes. He beat his  conservative and centrist rivals, who garnered 24 percent and 21 percent of the votes respectively. Moon will immediately begin his single five-year term. Today we ask if the win a surprise and was it his political platform that won the election; what can we expect from his legislative agenda; and whither South Korea’s relations with the North Korea, China and the US.

This report is by Sharaad Kuttan.

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We have several elections are around the world that have more than national significance. Today South Korea goes to the polls while over the weekend France chose a new President. Emmanuel Macron, is France’s youngest post-World War 2 president. The question now remains how far he will push his reform agenda of what some observers consider a moribund economy and a large Welfare State that has stifled entrepreneurship.

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The discussion regarding whether vernacular schools help - or hurt - unity between races has resurfaced with the TN50 youth dialogues held across the nation recently. But views on the topic vary and it was particularly reflected at the TN50 session hosted by MIC Youth late last month.

Today on Current Affairs, BFM explores the range of opinions held by the Indian community on the role SJK(T) should play in reaching vision for TN50.

This is a report by Tan Zhai Yun.

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On Saturday the 29th of April, US President Donald Trump celebrated his 100th Day in Office. To commemorate that, BFM takes a look back at President Trump's war policies, particularly the response to a chemical attack in Syria's Idlib province in April, which killed 86 people.

Today on Current Affairs, Lyn Mak speaks to anti-war speaker and Retired US Army Colonel Mary Ann Wright, on what we can expect of US war policies in the Middle East.

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The stakes are high at the PAS annual congress or Muktamar that began yesterday in Kedah. All eyes are on the upcoming general elections, GE 14. Many questions linger regarding the almost broken relationship between PAS and the parties of Pakatan Harapan. What is clear is that the new political alignments will reshape the GE14 contests in unpredictable ways.

Today on Current affairs, we look at what is driving passions at the muktamar.

This is a report by Sharaad Kuttan. 

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In his campaign last year, President Donald Trump vowed to repeal and replace Obamacare - the hallmark social welfare policy left by Obama. Trump has made it his mission to fulfill that promise before his 100-day mark.

However, this Saturday, is that 100-day deadline. And the bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act, has not even made it through the US House of Representatives for voting. In an unforeseen turn of events, the House Republican retracted their bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act due to internal policy disputes.

Today on Current Affairs, in honoring President Trump’s 100th day in the office, we look back at the disputes surrounding the motion to repeal Obamacare.

This is a report by Emir Zainul.

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