Current Affairs

The National Service Training Programme (PLKN) was shelved for a year following government budget cuts, but now there’s talk that the programme will be reintroduced in January. But has PLKN met all its intended objectives? BFM looks into what the program has offered and how it can be improved.

This is a report by Aisyah Tajuddin and Navin Nair.

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The Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement is due to be tabled in Parliament early next year, in the form of a Yes-No vote. This means no changes will be made to the trade deal, which all 12 prospective members countries have reached a consensus on. Many questions remain unanswered over the terms and conditions in the document, and today we discuss what this means for Malaysia, and what the TPPA will do to the Asean region.


This report is by Nadiah Abdul Aziz and Ashraf Zein. 

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Forest fires in Indonesia, which have been burning for months now, have not only caused a choking haze in the region, but it is also threatening the wildlife living in the forests. Jacqueline Sunderland-Groves from the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation explains how the burning forests of Kalimantan and Sumatra has affected the habitat of orangutans specifically.

This report is by Wan Irdina. 

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Leaders from South East Asian countries will meet in Kuala Lumpur for the ASEAN and East Asia summit this week, including US President Barack Obama and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.This comes amid escalating tension between the US and China over the South China Sea territorial dispute -- an issue expected to be discussed in the summit. We look at why the US has increased its involvement in this dispute, throwing its weight behind the ASEAN claimants. And could the cycle of provocation between China, US and ASEAN eventually escalate to military action? Listen to the podcast for more.

This report is by Jason Lim.

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Under Budget 2016 the allocation for the National Human Rights Commission or Suhakam's was halved. For 2016 it stands at RM5.5 million down from last year’s budget of RM10.9 million. In response Suhakam chairman Hasmy Agam reported that it would question Putrajaya on its decision. Other human rights organisations have voiced their concern as well. We ask why.


This report is by Sharaad Kuttan.

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Based on the Budget 2016 announcement, GST and subsidies made up for the expected shortfall in government revenue due to the decrease in petroleum revenue contribution this year. This means, the rakyat did their part to pay for next year's budget. With the government's operating expenditure set to exceed 215 billion ringgit, the question now is, did Putrajaya do its part to tighten its belt?

This report is by Nadiah Aziz

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The World Bank Group has kept Malaysia in the Top 20 list of countries it finds are most friendly to entrepreneurs and investors, as well as the least burdensome to keep a business running. According to its latest Doing Business report, Malaysia is 18th out of the 189 nations it observes, acknowledging its business-friendly regulations as well as improvements made in its governmental regulatory processes, including how easy it is for businesses to declare their taxes.

So with improvements made over the one year that the survey was conducted, is Malaysia doing enough and what other enhancements need to be done?

This is a report by Keith Kam.

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“While PM Najib is lauded for his brave move, he should be clear in his promise to restore full autonomy for Sabah and Sarawak, otherwise it will lead to serious repercussions on the BN federal government and his leadership,” said Sabah State Reform Party chairman Jeffrey Kitingan some weeks ago. But what is the politics of “full autonomy” and does it have any relation to the more recent call for a “Borneo pact” of MPs. Today we ask PKR’s Darell Leiking, MP for Panampang in Sabah for a Bornean perspective on the evolving dynamics of the Federation.

This report is by Sharaad Kuttan

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The recent typhoid outbreak in Kuala Lumpur has put a spotlight on the poor hygiene standards practiced by many eateries in the city. While the Ministry of Health has assured the public that the disease is preventable and treatable, alarm bells have rung over the 55 typhoid cases recorded in KL over the last three months. Today we explore the role of enforcement officers and their plans to contain this endemic.

This is a report by Shawn Tanis, Wan Irdina & Ashraf Zein

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Malaysia has pushed plans to build our first nuclear power plants to 2030, instead of the initial target of 2021. The stated reason is public sentiment and a resistance to embrace the new form of energy for the country. But a company in Portland, USA has found an innovative way to generate hydro electricity by installing turbines in water drinking pipes. It lets gravity do all the work. Today we explore if Malaysia can follow this clean, safe and simple idea.

This report is by Aisyah Tajuddin

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