Current Affairs

Joko Widodo will be sworn in as Indonesia's 7th president today, taking charge of the world's third largest democracy. However he faces huge challenges to restart the slowing economy and implement long-delayed structural reforms.

Melisa Idris speaks to Wellian Wiranto, economist at OBCB Bank, on Jokowi's challenges in reforming the economy, and what he believes the president's main priority should be.

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In recent months, the Malaysian government has been cracking down on Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) sympathisers, arresting recruits as they prepared to depart to the Middle-East.But the fear of what returning jihadis will bring back with them is pushing governments in the region to prepare for a possible blowback from the current conflict. Our guests today, a political scientist and communication strategist have been tracking the growth of the militant organisation in the region. We explore push as well as the pull factors in the rise of ISIS.

This is a report by Aziff Azuddin & Haniff Baharuddin.

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Budget 2015 did not address the issue of wages despite the rising cost of living expected with the removal of subsidies and the implementation of a Goods and Services Tax. What of the promise made last month to address the low wages to Gross Domestic Product ratio? Is Putrajaya's vision of a high income nation merely a statistical illusion without any effect on the real wages of the vast majority of the workforce? We explore these questions today.

This is report by Aziff Azuddin.

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“Pro-Rakyat” or ‘business as usual’? Analysts continue to debate both the quality, character and impact of Budget 2015. In his characterization of Budget 2015, Yin notes that there is no strategic shift in government thinking about how to boost incomes as well as manage the deficit. Comparing it to the Pakatan Rakyat’s Alternative Budget, he calls the GST regressive. He also notes the continuing trend of the Prime Minister’s Department’s grabbing the lion’s share of the development budget. But is the Pakatan Rakyat’s alternative sound? We explore.

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Bench-marking the Goods and Services Tax rate against regional economies, helping Small and Medium sized Enterprises merge, reducing the burden on the Middle-class, increasing the tax base, and providing for the poor. These are just some of the issues we cover in today’s show.

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Since 2009, the government has requested for two supplementary budgets per year to support their annual expenditure. With the yearly amount reaching RM 20 billion, it begs the question of the value Budget to managing the country's finances. We look into reasons behind the need of supplementary budgets, and whether it's simply a weaknesses in forecasting and the result of unexpected crisis that has resulted in this disturbing trend.

This is a report by Haniff Baharudin

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Recently companies evicted natives of three villages in rural Sabah claiming to own their land. It is alleged that the properties and crops of these villagers were destroyed in order to drive them out. Land grabbing is an issue that continues to plagues natives communities in various parts of the country. Today we ask if our laws are failing to afford adequate protection to these our fellow citizens. And we also ask if the governance of land matters favours more powerful and wealthier stakeholders

This report is by Aziff Azuddin

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has just wrapped his maiden visit to the US, in hopes of rekindling what President Obama has called the "defining partnership of the 21st century." He had been banned previously for what the US saw as his complicity in the 2002 Gujarat anti-Muslim program. Today we explore the significance of Modi's trip.

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According to Ernst & Young’s Asia-Pacific Fraud Survey Report 2013, Malaysia, along with China, has the highest levels of bribery and corruption anywhere in the world. And in light of the major crackdown on a syndicate involving high-ranking Customs officers, as well as the recent UPSR exam paper leak, BFM discusses how best to understand the problem of corruption. We look at the National Key Results Area of 'Fighting Corruption', and the complex ecosystem that constitutes corruption.

This segment is brought to you by Pemandu and the Government Transformation Programme.

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As tear-gas and pepper spray rained down on pro-democracy demonstrators, the Occupy Central movement was christened the “umbrella revolution” by the international media. But is it a revolution? While the aggressive action by the state shocked many in China’ Special Administrative Region, have the events of the weekend put the opposing forces on an inevitable collision course? We explore.

This is a report by Haniff Baharudin

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