Current Affairs

The number of dengue cases in Selangor has reached an 'alarming' level, with more than 1,000 cases in state in the first 8 days of February alone.

BFM spoke to the Ministry of Health and several medical practitioners to explain the sudden spike of this epidemic, and how it impacts doctors, hospitals and even patients.

Mahesh Krishnan contributed to this report.

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Anwar Ibrahim’s final appeal to overturn the ruling by the Court of Appeal was dismissed by the Federal Court, lowering the curtain for the long running saga of Sodomy II. The five-year imprisonment verdict has all but killed his political prospects.

How will this impact the dynamics of the Pakatan Rakyat coalition and how will they move forward? As the dust settles, we speak to several analysts for their perspective on the verdict.

Melisa Melina Idris & Muhammad Haniff Baharudin contributed to this report.

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Local council elections, also known as the "third vote", were part of Malaysian political system before its abolishment in 1976 under the Local Government Act. DAP recently called for it to restored, but was contested by PAS, leading to a rift within the Pakatan Rakyat coalition. We speak to Ng Yeen Seen, senior director of Centre for Public Policy Studies who lists the roles of a local council and explains what local council elections will mean to Malaysians.

Annabelle Lee contributed to this report.

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Pegida’s rise as an influential voice of far-right in Germany has been a slow but steady journey. Formed to voice their discontent at what they perceive to be Europe’s shift towards Islam, Pegida (a German abbreviation of “Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West”) holds various rallies that are growing in numbers to make their point. As they spread their wings across Europe, we take a look at the group’s reason for existence, its agendas, and reactions from the public.

Muhammad Haniff and Melanie Abraham contributed to this report.

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Indonesian President Joko Widodo is in Malaysia for his first state visit since taking office last October. We speak to Tan Sri Rastam Mohd Isa, the Chairman and CEO of the Institute of Strategic and International Studies Malaysia, on what to expect from this presidential visit.

Tan Sri Rastam is a former ambassador to the Republic of Indonesia, with more than 35 years in the Malaysian diplomatic service.

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On Monday, over 130 of Indonesia's top diplomatic staff gathered to hear the newly minted President address them on his foreign policy. The media dubbed it a "pro-people" policy. Today, the President, Joko Widodo, affectionately known as Jokowi arrives in Kuala Lumpur for an official visit. We speak to one of the co-authors of "Indonesia-Malaysia Relations: Cultural Heritage, Politics and Labour Migration" a book that looks at bilateral relations with one of our most important neighbours, including how the democratic dividend is shaping policy.

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Indonesian president Joko Widodo will arrive in Malaysia tomorrow for his first state visit. He also recently marked his first 100 days in office.

Melisa Idris speaks to Professor Edward Aspinall, Professor of Politics at ANU College in Australia, and the co-editor of the publication Inside Indonesia.

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Earlier this week the Land and Public Transport Commission (SPAD) announced plans to restructure the country's bus system. The plan, called the Stage Bus Services Transformation Programme, will be launched in phases beginning with 5 cities this year. Will this model be the answer to the public's call for a more reliable public bus service system?

Mahesh Krishnan & Muhammad Hanif Baharudin contributed to this report

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On the 15th of January 2015, Yemeni president Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi and his cabinet resigned after Houthi forces seized the capital of Sana'a. Despite the ongoing political instability, scores of Malaysians continue to travel there for an education. Today we speak to a Malaysian student living in the south of Yemen on how he has experienced this conflict as well as a Sana’a-based human rights activist on the political dynamics which are threatening the gains made during the Arab Spring.

Annabelle Lee contributed to this report.

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The recent Left-wing Syriza party’s victory at Greece's general elections is shaking up Europe. The anti-austerity party won convincingly on pledges to renegotiate with the country's international creditors, and to put an end to severe austerity measures imposed by the Troika -made up of the International Monetary Fund, European Central Bank, and European Commission. Was the Troika wrong in its prescription? Melisa Idris speaks to Arturo Bris, director of World Competitiveness Center at IMD business school, on how the new government will fulfil its campaign promises, how this will affect the Eurozone and could Greece exit the Eurozone?

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