Evening Edition

Matt Bellotti, Craig Morraies & Sam Postlethwaite lookback at a weekend of shock results, Leicester 5 Man Utd 3, Spurs 0 West Brom 1, Everton 2 Palace 3, whilst the big one at the Etihad ended 1-1 between Man City & Chelsea. Also, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1, Bundesliga and Malaysian football.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to The Telegraph UK, the Munich Oktoberfest claims to be the largest festival of its kind in the world with more than 6 million people having attended the festival last year. On The Evening Edition, we found out what Oktoberfest is all about with Chef Helmut Murmann. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ross Yusof & guests Bob Holmes, Ray Jennings & Roshan Narayan lookback at Matchday 1 in the Uefa Champions League & Europa Leagues. Defeat for Arsenal, a draw for Chelsea and a win for Liverpool. In the Europa, Everton were the big winners. Also Fantasy Football update, Treatment Table, weekend previews for BPL, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1, Bundesliga & 3 Big Shouts!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you think of Italian cinema, it's usually Sophia Loren who comes to mind. Or the critically-acclaimed box office 80s hit “Cinema Paradiso”, which incidentally propelled Oscar-winning film “Life is Beautiful” and its actor/director Roberto Benigni. The magic of Italian cinema doesn't lie only in its actors or story, it's also in the music. Two incredibly talented Italian musicians joined us on The Evening Edition, to explain that unmistakable sound of Italian cinema, ahead of their performance in Kuala Lumpur this weekend.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia, Truly Asia. It’s a catch phrase that has really caught on. As a tourist destination, we seem to have it all.  Idyllic Islands, Green Highlands, Vibrant cities. Delicious cuisine. Tourism accounts for almost 13% of the country’s GDP. But is this something that only appeals to the outside world? How do we Malaysians see our own country? On today’s Talkback Thursday - brought to you by the Economic Transformation Programme - we want to know why you’d much rather spend your tourist dollars and go abroad rather than experience everything the country has to offer? Why are you on the first flight out to Bali instead of enjoying the sandy beaches of Sabah? What would make you a tourist in your own country? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's that time of the month again where we look at the September issue under our Magazine Watch show. And this month, the spotlight is on Expatriate Lifestyle for their interesting research on everyone's favourite topic: Education.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ross Yusof & guests Matt Bellotti, Sam Postlethwaite & Gogulan Dorairajoo lookback at the weekend's BPL which saw Chelsea maintain their 100% record, Liverpool lose at home to Aston Villa & Manchester United recording their 1st win of the season. There are also chats about the Bundesliga, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and the return of UEFA Champions League.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we approach Malaysia day 51 years on, we asked you; does the Malaysia of today match the vision of our founding fathers? Our lines were open. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ross Yusof & guests Bob Holmes, Ray Jennings & Pravin Peraba lookback at England's Danny Welbeck inspired win over Switzerland and discuss the midweek Euro qualifiers. There's also a chat with the Etihad/Man City contest winner, Vincent Tan and a full preview of the BPL weekend which will see many debuts of signings made before the transfer window shut.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you capable of eliminating the use of animal products, especially in your diet? It's not everyone's cup of tea but it's what vegans practice day in and day out. And unlike what cynics have portrayed them to be, vegans aren't sad people who only eat raw food. To put things in perspective, we spoke to vegan Ashely Fruno, PETA Asia-Pacific's senior campaigner. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The UPSR paper leak that's been making headlines has everyone up in arms. But should we be surprised? For years, we've heard of situations where both school and tuition teachers share exam questions, conveniently labeled as "exam tips" with their students. How is that different from the UPSR paper leak yesterday? The biggest victims here are the students, who now have to have their exams postponed, as if their nerves aren't rattled enough. What must be done to enforce stricter education system guidelines for this to not happen again? Photo credit: The Malaysian Insider. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the more popular topics on The Evening Edition has got to be education. Whether we open the lines for call-ins or have a dialogue with people via social media, the participation is often overwhelming with the same message ringing year in year out. And that is to improve our education system on a massive scale. And that’s what the government has been doing for years now, acknowledging and addressing the problem of our degrading education and what urgently needs to be done. But are they effective? We asked the experts what they thought. This show was brought to you by PEMANDU and the Government Transformation Programme.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A social experiment video showing Malaysians sticking up for each other has been making news within the online sphere. The video, filmed by a local ad agency, featured Malaysians refusing to say disparaging remarks for money. Malaysians have commented that the video clearly showed how division among Malaysians doesn't exist, as some people would have us believe. So, are we truly a harmonious nation then?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ross Yusof & guests Craig Morraies, Sam Postlethwaite & Gogulan Dorairajoo discuss the midweek Euro qualifiers which saw Scotland put up a fight but lose 2-1 to World Champions, Germany and wins for the 2 Irelands. There's also a preview of the midweek matches including Switzerland v England, Czech Republic v Netherlands & Spain v Macedonia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Imagine being a student, traveling with a cohort of another 150 to seven different countries over the course of 4 years for global cultural immersion. It's a method of studying that is part of what makes up The Minerva Project. We found out more from the team behind the project and why they've boldly proclaimed that their aim was to displace Harvard.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ross Yusof & his guests Bob Holmes, Pravin Peraba & Roshan Narayan discuss the transfer deadline day deals. The chaps also review the midweek international friendlies, preview the weekend big games. There's a chat with Dez Corkhill (Astro Arena) about the Asian Games PLUS a chance for you to win a trip to Manchester to watch Man City v Chelsea on 21 September.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The world was bereft of laughter when news of Robin William’s passing was confirmed last August 2014. The Evening Edition took a look at the legacy he had left behind and why it’s difficult for everyone to bid the lovely star goodbye.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Evening Edition celebrated BFM's 6th Anniversary today by acknowledging our hard working interns. Six of them took over the airwaves for an hour to talk about their internship so far, their love for journalism and everything press related.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Blaine, the American illusionist and endurance artist is famous for his street magic performances and endurance feats that defy explanation. These include being buried alive, hanging upside down for 40 hours, being encased in a massive block of ice and fasting for 44 days. In anticipation of his first live performance in Malaysia — David Blaine: REAL or MAGIC on Friday, September 5th, we spoke to him about his craft and the art of magic.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are hobbies like gardening and collecting comics, and then there are hobbies like plastic modelling. We didn't know wha to make of plastic modelling; the only thing we linked to plastic modelling was that Tamiya shop in the basement of One Utama Shopping Centre. So this evening, we spoke to 2 experts who elaborated about what plastic modelling was all about. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ross Yusof and his guests Kam Raslan, Craig Morraies & Gogulan Dorairajoo discuss the Premiership debuts of Angel Di Maria & Mario Balotelli as well as Diego Costa's continuing good form for Chelsea. Also respect is shown to Swansea City, Aston Villa & Leicester City for their great displays. Also chats about La liga, Serie A , Ligue 1, the bundesliga & a chat with Dez Corkhill (Astro Arena) about the Malaysia Cup.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every end of August, imagery from that fateful day back in 1957 would fill our TV screens, print and social media platforms. And after all this time, we’re all too familiar with the jubilant proclamation of “Merdeka” 7 times by Tunku. But have you ever listened to his Merdeka speech in full? The Evening Edition went on a hunt for that speech and turned up surprised at the many dead ends we ended up in. Listen to our journey in search of Tunku's Merdeka speech.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On The Evening Edition this evening, we spoke about the current state of our rural communities and how they've been overlooked in the country's progress to move forward economically. But with the inclusion of improving rural development under the Government Transformation Programme, rural communities are now moving forward as we found out during this evening's conversation. This show was brought to you by the Government Transformation Programme.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Several brands that have been singled out for their alleged links to Israel say that the recent boycott campaigns and protests by Malaysians "misguided" by inaccurate information will inflict greater pain on their fellow countrymen than their intended targets. We discussed this on Talkback Tuesday today and asked you: How effective do you think boycott campaigns and protests are in achieving its objectives? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's the 1st show of the season & Ross Yusof is joined in the studio by Roshan Narayan, Craig Morraies & Gogulan Dorairajoo as they discuss the latest news and preview the opening weekend of the BPL. Also a chat about the Malaysia Cup and Big Shouts for the weekend & season brought to you by MyKris Asia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If ever there was a topic that seems so outrageously difficult to explain in a sentence or two, it would be Quantum Physics - or Quantum Mechanics.   We could throw out ideas like Schrödinger’s Cat, The Bohr Model and the Photoelectric effect - which would probably get you asking, what, what and what?   But. Imagine for a second that you’re so interested in a topic, so driven to find out about something that you don’t understand; that you spend a lot of your spare time delving into textbooks, enrolling yourself on University courses, and even creating a webpage - simply because you just want to know…   If you’ve ever felt like that, about ANY topic, then this interview is for people like you.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government is doing all it can to combat crime and help Malaysians feel safe. And our police force has been beefing up its presence as part of the solution. But do we know what government policies have been put in place and what steps have been implemented? Are you, a member of the public,  aware of these efforts and if so, do you think enough is being done? In the studio with us were,  Dato Dr Amin Khan, Director of ‘Public Service Delivery Transformation’ (PSDT), Special Project & Crime & Dato’ Wira Ayub Haji Yaacob Director of the Department of Prevention of Crime & Community Safety, Bukit Aman, PDRM to address the concerns we have about public safety, in this evening’s show, brought to you by the Government Transformation Programme.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the ground Brazil 2014 World Cup updates with Ezra Zaid and Sanjeev Palar. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the ground Brazil 2014 World Cup updates with Ezra Zaid and Sanjeev Palar. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day 70 years ago the largest seaborne invasion in history began on the beaches of Normandy. Codenamed Operation Neptune; 156,000 soldiers would create 5 beachheads in Normandy which would lead to a decisive Allied victory in World War 2.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Should all children , irrespective of their abilities, be given the opportunity to learn together in mainstream classrooms in their neighbourhood school? Or should children with disabilities be separated from non-disabled children? What can we do to ensure access and availability of inclusive education for every child? We spoke to Ms. Wivina Belmonte, UNICEF Representative to Malaysia about a classroom education for all children.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Evening Edition today, we discussed food standards in Malaysia and the level of care you expect from eateries and the food industry in general. Do you care about what goes into your food? Our lines were open.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the final show of the season, Stuart Cavens, Matt Bellotti & Craig Morraies join Ross Yusof in the studio to talk FA Cup Final, German Cup Final, Atletico winning La Liga, Juve breaking past the 100 point barrier. Also chats about International friendlies, the Malaysian Super League & previews for the Playoff final & UEFA Champions League.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bob Holmes, Prem Kumar & Jeevan Selvanathan join Ross Yusof in the studio to discuss Liverpool's 3-3 draw with Crystal Palace, Sunderland's miraculous escape from relegation and Man City's close 4-0 win against Villa. The chaps also preview the final weekend in the BPL, La Liga going to the wire, Hamburg's fight with relegation, Ligue 1 and a chat with Dez Corkhill (Astro Arena) about the MSL.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We take a look through the June Editions of TimeOut and Expatriate lifestyle and cherry-pick some of the highlights. Joing us in the studio were Lim Chee Wah Editor of TimeOut KL and Ian Johnston, Editor of Expatriate Lifestyle.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jeff Sandhu  & guests, Bob Holmes, Craig Morraies & Gogulan Dorairajoo discuss Diego Simeone's mafia attire during their victory against Chelsea and Real's thrashing of Bayern's tiki taka football, who's going to win the Madrid Champions League Final Derby? Also a look weekend previews including BPL, La Liga, Ligue 1, Serie A, Bundesliga & 3 big shouts!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On April 28, 1686, Isaac Newton - physicist, philosopher, theologian, inventor, alchemist, mathematician - would publish the first volume of his Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica, known to posterity simply as the Principia. He would describe the law of universal gravitation and establish the foundations of classical mechanics. He would literally change the world. This month, on The Evening Edition’s Hari Ini Dalam Sejarah Dunia, Richard and Uma take you back in time to tell you the very exciting, sometimes sordid, even dangerous tale behind the discovery of the fundamental tenets of the universe and how it works.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ross Yusof & guests, Bob Holmes, Craig Morraies & Gogulan Dorairajoo discuss David Moyes' sacking at Manchester United, Chelsea's draw in Spain, Bayern on a losing streak, Real, the best team in the world? ALSO Europa League a chat with Dez Corkhill (Astro Arena) about Malaysian football and weekend previews including BPL, La Liga, Ligue 1, Serie A, Bundesliga & 3 big shouts!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to the Forbes list for the past 2 years, Jeff Dunham has been one of the top five earning comedians in the world. He also has single-handedly been responsible for bringing ventriloquism back in vogue. Ezra spoke to him about all things comedy: talking dummies, political correctness and the business of comedy in anticipation of Dunham's LIVE performance in Malaysia on May 20th, 2014.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's World Earth Day today, and even Google has jumped on the bandwagon. Today's Google-doodle shows either the Rufous hummingbird, Japanese macaque, the puffer fish and the moon jellyfish wishing netizens Happy Earth Day! But on a more local level, did you know the world was celebrating its biggest day? So, we're asking you today: It's World Earth Day - do you really care? Our lines were open.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over the years we’ve all been exposed to numerous PSAs. Some of the PSAs (public service announcements) seem quite obvious to most viewers or listeners. Messages against drunk driving, texting-while driving, abuse, corruption, speeding, shoplifting and so much more continue to flood the airwaves, billboards, TV spots and basically just about everywhere else from seatback tray-tables 30,000ft above sea-level to the palm of your hand with annoying mobile advertising. Malaysia it seems, is one of the few places on Earth where we have PSAs addressing issues of common courtesy. PSAs like ‘Sit don’t squat’ and ‘Don’t double park (but if you have to leave a note…) are a common sight. Be do we adhere to these messages? Do we really need to be told how to behave? In the studio today we had film maker and producer Jason Lim who has decided to take the PSA to a new level. Maybe we need to be shocked a little.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Captain Mike Parker, raised in North Carolina, began his military career serving as an enlisted soldier in the United States Army stationed in Germany in the mid-1980s.  He later attended Western Carolina University and graduated in 1990 with a B.S. in Economics.  Parker entered the United States Navy through the Aviation Officer Candidate School Program, receiving his commission in 1991 and following flight training, was designated a Naval Flight Officer in 1992. Currently Commodore of the Patrol and Reconnaisance Force, Seventh Fleet of the U.S. Navy he came by the studio to talk to us about his illustrious military career and how the U.S. Navy are assisting with the ongoing search for the missing MH370 flight.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on Talkback Thursday, we took a trip back to revisit some of the conversations we’ve had about  the many socio-economic issues plaguing the country. Brought to you by the Economic Transformation programme, we looked into the 3 issues that created quite stirring conversations with our listeners at the time: aged care, education and brain drain. With one eye on current and potential future issues, The Evening Edition looked into the progress of these issues, the key stakeholders involved and the obstacles that were in place.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tacloban, the regional centre of the Eastern Visayas in the Philippines, is still trying to find its feet after Typhoon Haiyan tore it apart on November 8th 2013. Months after the disaster, and still there are people displaced and basic needs are hard to come by. Worse still, funds to help them are running out. Angela Kearney from UNICEF talks to us about the worrying situation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

India, the world’s largest democracy went to the polls on 7th April 2014. The Evening Edition spoke to author, political commentator and public intellectual Gurcharan Das and found out more about India, her people, and her politics.  We set out to discover just how seminal this general election was for India.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Talentcorp, the government agency tasked to fight the brain drain happening in the country has, to date, only managed to bring back 2,500 Malaysians under the Return Experts Programme. Some of the reasons cited by Malaysians living abroad on their reluctance in returning to Malaysia include higher salaries, better professional opportunities and a comfortable life.  The government’s aggressive role in trying to woo Malaysian professionals to return from overseas comes at the back of a World Bank Report in 2011, which revealed that Malaysia was experiencing a huge brain drain to other countries, with almost a million of the country’s professional workforce reported to be working overseas. And while the move to pursue our local talent to return is a good step, Malaysian professionals who chose to stay back here to make a living feel as if they’re on the short end of a stick. Mounting challenges in the form of escalating cost of living, a spike in crime, the political scenario of the country and a below-par education system, have left many Malaysians weary, tired and fed up. But still they work just as hard, or harder still, to make sure they keep their heads above water. So, if the logic is to recognise and give perks to Malaysians who worked hard at getting a better quality of life overseas vs Malaysians working hard here to make ends meet despite challenges and minus the perks, should we then migrate or should we stay? Our lines were open.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We spoke to the Editor of Time Out KL about their April 2014 issue. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ross Yusof & guests Bob Holmes, Craig Morraies & Jeevan Selvanathan talk UCL QFs, credible draw for United, gut wrenching defeat for Chelsea, honours even between Barca & Atleti & Real with 1 foot in the semis. Also, talk about Europa League, MSL, & weekend previews for the BPL, Championship, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1 & Bundesliga.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a report on police abuses officially released on the 2nd April 2014, the Human Rights’ Watch (HRW) said the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) and the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) tasked by Putrajaya to monitor police abuses, were failing to do so. In the report titled “No Answers, No Apology: Police Abuses and Accountability”, HRW said that Suhakam and the EAIC had little success gaining access to police case files, key police standing orders governing use of force and firearms, and other information required to conduct meaningful investigations. Last June, the federal government’s revealed that 231 custodial deaths occurred between January 2000 and May 2013, with only two officially caused by the police. In its report, HRW also accused Putrajaya and the police of abdicating their responsibility by failing to make the “policy changes necessary to ensure effective oversight and accountability in cases of wrongful deaths, mistreatment in custody, and excessive use of force”. To tell us more about the report, and its implications, we spoke with the Deputy Director of Human Rights Watch, Asia Division, Phil Robertson.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The rising costs of living is hitting Malaysians, both old and young, and everyone is feeling the additional burden on their shoulders. Young Malaysians, with their entry-level salaries and overall lowered subsidies, are finding it hard to plan for their future - how are they going to buy a car or even a home? On today's Talkback with Ministers series, we had Khairy Jamaluddin, Minister of Youth and Sports with us and he spoke about the financial challenges youths face today and what the government is doing to help. This Talkback with Ministers series was brought to you by PEMANDU  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.