Current Affairs

National athletes broke several world records at the recent Rio Paralympic Games as they bagged three gold and one bronze medal. Today, BFM explores how this historic achievement became an eye opener for many, who for a long time, have overlooked the potential of Malaysian Paralympians.

This is a report by Shawn Tanis.

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Last week China's President Xi Jinping visited Bangladesh in a visit dubbed a milestone relations. In the lead up to the visit the South China Morning Post reported that at least 21 agreements involving close to US$40 billion in Chinese funding for large infrastructure projects would be signed off. What actually transpired and how is regional giant India viewing these developments? BFM explores.

This is a report by Sharaad Kuttan.

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Last Thursday, the seven decade long reign of Thailand's monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej came to an end. Despite being long anticipated because of illness that confined him to the hospital for years, a vacuum in Thai politics has been created and one which will not be filled immediately as a 12-month mourning period has been declared. While Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn was appointed the King's successor in 1972, he has since become a controversial figure because of his personal life as well as his association with former, now-exiled Prime Minister Taksin Shinawatra.

BFM explores possible scenarios in this transition for Thailand, and if markets and the public can expect any surprises in the next year?

This is a report by Sharaad Kuttan. 

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The State of Households 2 report recently released by Khazanah Research Institute came under intense scrutiny, with many parties disputing the collated data, accusing it of being doctored to suit the government's agenda. We continue the conversation on the lack of savings among Malaysians, household debt, and how to match productivity gains to wages.

This is a report by Nadiah Abdul Aziz. 

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The Election Commission recently proposed to redraw electoral boundaries. However, objections to the proposed re-delineation exercise have been mounting from both sides of the political divide as there have been allegations over the unequal distribution of voters, and a lack of transparency in the process.

BFM explores the possible motive of this exercise, and how the concepts of containment and capture are used to redraw the boundaries ahead of the next general elections.

This is a report by Sharaad Kuttan, Jason Lim, Lyn Mak and Wan Irdina. 

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According to the National Water Services Com­mission, pollution shut down water treatment plants in rivers across Malaysia for over 1 thousand days, between 2008 and 2014. Over a third of these shutdowns occurred in Selangor.

The latest incident happened last week with the temporary closure of the The Langat and Cheras water treatment plants due to odour pollution from the Semantan River in Pahang.

We explore why the water supply disruption problem has become more prevalent in recent years, and some measures that authorities can take to reduce the impact river pollution on the state’s water security.

This is a report by Jason Lim. 

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Mental health problems are far more common than we would think, and they are on the rise, particularly amongst youths aged sixteen to twenty-four. The National Health and Morbidity Survey 2015 shows that three times as many Malaysians are suffering from a mental health problem than in 1996. The Malaysian Health Ministry has announced that a five-year strategic action plan to address this issue is in the works, but before that BFM takes a closer look at the challenges we face in treating mental health problems, in conjunction with World Mental Health day.

This is a report by Azlyn Balqis and Lyn Mak.

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As Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte marks his first one hundred days in office, bodies continue to pile up in his administration’s war on drugs. International media has been critical of Duterte in their coverage of his crackdown on drugs and crime, but do their reports reflect the sentiments of Filipinos? BFM explores.

This is a report by Wan Irdina. 

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Inaugurated on June 30th, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte had been elected on a promise to eradicate the nation’s drugs and crime. Despite receiving global condemnation, the public outrage domestically is somewhat muted.

The media has also been under attack lately, with local journalists received threats online by Duterte’s supporters after covering the work of his government. This has raised concerns among local and international journalist groups.

BFM asks; are Filipino journalists safe under the current administration? 

This is a report by Wan Irdina. 

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The State of Households 2 report recently released by Khazanah Research Institute has come under intense scrutiny, with many parties disputing the collated data, accusing it of being doctored to suit the government's agenda. We continue the conversation on the B40 lower income group, youth unemployment, and housing issues.

This is a report by Nadiah Abdul Aziz.

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