Evening Edition

Recently, the Flagship Hilton in KL received a facelift. The hotel now boasts a stylish, modernist redesigned lobby lounge and Five new exciting F&B concept outlets. The Evening Edition managed to catch Michael Elfwing, Executive Sous Chef at the Hilton KL and we spoke to him about how he ended up in Malaysia, what molecular gastronomy was and how difficult it was to be a sous chef in Malaysia.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We talked about healthcare in Malaysia, but more specifically about the exorbitant costs that comes with it and also the issue of accessibility of medication. This Talkback Thursday is in collaboration with the ETP.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Melaka Arts and Performance Festival (MAPFest) is an innovative contemporary festival, featuring dance, performance art, visual art, film and music. In a short space of time since its inception in 2009, MAPFest has gained a high national, and increasingly international profile, being recognised for its program of exciting independent arts, collaborations and its use of alternative sites for performance. The Evening Edition spoke with the folks from MAPFest to ask them what is to be expected from the festival this year.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ross Yusof & guests, Pravin Peraba, Kam Raslan & Gogulan Dorairajoo review the BPL weekend which saw Man City & Spurs lose, Chelsea draw at home & Manchester United beating leaders Arsenal 1-0. There's also a chat with Dez Corkhill (Astro Arena) about Malaysia's preperation for their Bahrain clash PLUS Winners & Losers, Championship, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1 & Bundesliga.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This month on The Evening Edition's Magazine Watch, we chatted with the folks from TimeOutKL and The B-Side to find out what their November issues were all about.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia is ranked one of South-East Asia’s worst when it comes to road safety. Estimates have put losses from road traffic accidents at an estimated 1.6% of the national GDP. According to the WHO (World Health Organisation) 2013 Global Status Report on Road Safety, Malaysia suffered 25 accident-related deaths per 100,00 of the population in 2010, compared to 3.6 deaths per 100,000 in Britain. We spoke to Dr Elizabeth Sheppard & Lim Phui Cheng from the University of Nottingham, Malaysia Campus and found out the reasons behind why Malaysians were the most unsafe drivers in South-East Asia.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah was the 14th Ruler and Sultan of Terengganu from 1946 to 1979. He was also the 4th King of Malaysia from 1965 - 1970 and his reign was described as “a most eventful and glorious one” by then Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman. But many have no idea that he was an avid photographer, earning the reputation as the pioneer of modern Malaysian photography! We spoke to his grandson and custodian of his works, Raja Ihsan Shah, about the royalty behind the lens.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah was the 14th Ruler and Sultan of Terengganu from 1946 to 1979. He was also the 4th King of Malaysia from 1965 - 1970 and his reign was described as “a most eventful and glorious one” by then Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman. But many have no idea that he was an avid photographer, earning the reputation as the pioneer of modern Malaysian photography! The Evening Edition spoke with his grandson and custodian of his works, Raja Ihsan Shah, about the royalty behind the lens.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Young Malaysian Artists 2013 by Galeri Petronas themed “New Object (ion) II”, showcased a host of new young Malaysian artists and their talents. We spoke to Bardrolhisham Tahir, curator at Galeri Petronas and Lisa Foo, an artist featured in the exhibition.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ross Yusof & guests Matt Bellotti, Pravin Peraba & Jeevan Selvanathan discuss the BPL weekend including Arsenal 2 Liverpool 0, Newcastle 2 Chelsea 0 and Man City 7 Norwich 0. There's also a chat with Dez Corkhill (Astro Arena) about Pahang's win in the Malaysia Cup final and also coverage about the Championship, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Champions & Europa Leagues.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He's lost 15kg, shaved his head and wears a brace on his chest, hides horrific surgical scars - all thanks to his close brush with death when a motorcycle pillion rider fired shots at him in July. The Evening Edition spoke with R. Sri Sanjeevan, Chairman of MyWatch, to get his side of the story.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ross Yusof & guests Bob Holmes, Ray Jennings & Craig Morraies lookback at the Capital One Cup 4th round which saw Arsenal lose 2-0 at home to Chelsea, United beat Norwich 4-0 & some exciting extra time finishes. There's also a chat with Kelantan coach Bojan Hodak about the Malaysia Cup final on Sunday PLUS previews of the weekend including Fantasy Football update on Treatment RoomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mustering the courage to present and speak in front of an audience is hard enough, imagine trying to make them laugh! The Evening Edition had in the studio 2 foreign comedians, both pros at engaging all types of people when it came to tickling their funny bones. We asked them how tough an audience Malaysians really were.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Of the many concerns amongst parents these days, high up on the list would be child care and education. With parents not being able to give up their jobs to stay at home, or not have enough support systems, many are forced to rely on child care centres, but that poses problems. Talkback Thursday asked: Are you happy with the current state of child care centres out there? This Talkback Thursday was produced in collaboration with the Economic Transformation Programme.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A music icon. The lynchpin behind Velvet Underground. And a career spanning 50 years. We paid tribute to the legendary Lou Reed who sadly passed away Sunday, 27th October 2013 at the age of 71. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ross Yusof & his guests Stuart Cavens, Gogulan Dorairajoo & Kam Raslan lookback at the weekend's football which, in England, saw a delightful hattrick from Liverpool's Luis Suarez, Man United come from behind (twice) to win, a big blunder from Man City's Joe Hart. Also the Championship, a chat with Dez Corkhill (Astro Arena) about the Malaysia Cup semi finals, El Clasico, Serie A, Bundesliga, Capital One Cup.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all grew up with stories of ghosts, spirits and all sorts of weird ‘unscientific’ things. And it is often hard to separate fact from fiction, especially when it comes to the supernatural world. With Halloween just around the corner, The Evening Edition spoke to 2 people who have experienced the "other world" and lived to tell the tale.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ross Yusof & guests Darren Anderton, Bob Holmes & Matt Bellotti discuss the big news of the week: Fergie's book, Holloways resignation. Plus a preview of the BPL weekend and across Europe where El Clasico stands out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Evening Edition spoke to the tax experts from Deloitte Malaysia for an overview on Malaysia Budget 2014 announcement. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s that time of the year when we find out how our country is doing economically, what we’ll need to brace ourselves for and of course, if we’re getting any goodies. With Budget 2014 set to be announced on 25th October 2013, The Evening Edition found out from listeners what their Budget 2014 wishlists were. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We spoke to Patrick Liau, Director of The Intermark Sdn Bhd & Malek Ali, Managing Director of BFM about the BFM-The Intermark Race to the Top 2013 and what it entails.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

During the 2013 celebration of the blessed Aidiladha, some parents voiced their anger and concern over the ceremonial incident of cow slaughtering within school grounds. Non-muslim students who inadvertently witnessed the event were either traumatised or were in shock. But it was the parents that were even in more shock when they found out because they weren’t notified by the school beforehand. This comes on the heels of Sekolah Sri Pristana’s makeshift canteen next to the school’s toilet in July 2013. And if you can remember back in 2010, there was the issue of a student not being allowed to bring non-halal food to school even if it was for his own consumption. The parents of these students claimed they were never informed of the school’s rules and regulations. But one can argue that schools act the way they see fit and in the best interest of their students. So, how much do schools involve parents in decision-making and drawing up school rules? What is the role of PTAs?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ross Yusof & guests Stuart Cavens, Pravin Peraba & Gogulan Dorairajoo discuss the weekend's BPL which saw Moyes' Manchester United drop points in a 1-1 draw with Southampton whilst Jack Wilshere "possibly" scores the goal of the season in Arsenal's 4-1 thumping of Norwich. There's also the FIFA draw for the European playoffs, the Malaysia Cup semi finals, the Championship, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, Uefa Champions League and Winners & Losers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"That you can control people's ideas, their behaviour, their faith and their minds simply by trying to control the words that they use, is absurd. It is an embarrassment to a modern, constitutional, democratic and deeply Muslim state like Malaysia." The controversy surrounding the word “Allah” and it’s usage continues to afflict both our public and private discourse. As the debate reached a fever pitch, The Evening Edition spoke to The New York Times bestselling author and acclaimed academic Reza Aslan in an attempt to provide some historical and theological context on the matter. *Please note that the last portion of this interview was not broadcasted on air and is exclusive to this podcast onlySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ross Yusof & his guests Bob Holmes, Ray Jennings & Craig Morraies relive England's 2-0 win over Poland to ensure  qualification for World Cup 2014. They sing the praises of Anros Townsend and discuss the other qualifiers from Europe, South America, Concacaf & Africa. There's also a chat with Dez Corkhill (Astro Arena) about Malaysia 1 Bahrain 1 & the Malaysia Cup semi finals. Of course there is a full preview of the BPL weekend & around Europe.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Evening Edition have put together an analysis on the UMNO General Assembly 2013 which is due to take place this 19 October 2013. We spoke to  a pool of people to get their thoughts about the assembly. They were UMNO members Datuk Kadir Jasin, the former group editor-in-chief of NSTP and Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, and separately, political analyst Amir Fareed and political commentator and activist, Zainah Anwar. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whenever our discourse is clouded in controversy, the inimitable knee jerk from many a moderate Malaysian is to question whether or not there remains any space for them in such an intolerant environment. In today's Talkback, we asked Malaysians about the value of citizenship - what it means to them, and what they're willing to sacrifice. We asked: Would you be willing to give up your citizenship for your child's education?  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There have been rising cases of suicide reported in the media lately. Yet not many are willing to discuss or talk about suicide due to the stigma attached to it. Befrienders KL are a non-profit organisation established in 1970. Their mission is to alleviate distress and help reduce the risk of suicide through emotional support and public education. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The insurmountable requests in improving Malaysia’s education system has always been a loud and constant one. And for some of us, it always seems like nothing or not enough is being done. Well, today on The Evening Edition, we spoke to  some people who are putting their money where their mouths are. Yayasan Amir has been implementing the Trust School Programme, and working alongside them is LeapEd, with its educational services made to complement these trust schools. We followed up with their progress thus far, one year on since Yayasan Amir was on our show last.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ross Yusof & his guests Bob Holmes, Pravin Peraba & Craig Morraies discuss the big stories of the week including naturalising players for adopted countries, the going ons at Cardiff City, Sunderland's appointment of Gus Poyet, Glen Hoddle returning to the England set up & the Qatar 2022 World Cup. There's also a chat with Dez Corkhill (Astro Arena) about Malaysia's chances against Bahrain & previews of the FIFA 2014WC qualifiers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This month's Magazine Watch on The Evening Edition focuses on magazines, TimeOutKL and The B-Side. We spoke to the editorial teams of both magazines to find out what their October issues have to offer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many Malaysians rest easy knowing that part of their monthly salary goes to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), ensuring that they’d be financially stable once they retire. Some are pleased that their subscription to insurance policies and investments in unit trust, together with their EPF savings will guarantee a fruitful retirement. But are Malaysians being stupidly ignorant for thinking all that is enough? The simple answer is yes. EPF data has shown that some 80% of contributors do not have sufficient savings during their retirement. In its annual report for 2011, the average savings in EPF for inactive members is just over RM20,000. For active members at the age of 54, it stands at just over RM100,000. If one’s lifestyle and expenses amount to RM5,000 a month, that makes a total of RM60,000 a year for expenses. How will EPF savings alone help sustain your expenses over the next 20 years? This then begs the question - are Malaysians ready for retirement? Do they realise that their EPF savings alone will not be enough to see them through their elderly years?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We spoke to author, Margaret Kent of Warner Books’ How to Marry the Man of Your Choice. Her marriage guide is the only truly comprehensive marriage manual, providing a full range of marriage techniques, from the “hello” to the “I do” regardless of a women’s past relationships. Even if a woman hasn’t had a date in years, that’s no obstacle to marriage! No wonder the How to Marry the Man of Your Choice hit the New York Times bestseller list for sixteen weeks, and then took Russia and the rest of Eastern Europe by storm.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The purpose of the 1Malaysia Support For Housewives Programme is to create employment opportunities and provide assistance to housewives, single mothers, women with disabilities and those who are the heads of families. The programme helps them by providing an alternative to supplement their families’ income without compromising their roles as housewives. As of September, three military camps have been selected for the pilot - - Sungai Besi Army Camp (47 Housewives)- Wardieburn Army Camp (59 Housewives)- Lumut Naval Base (47 Housewives) To ensure that the programme continuously benefits the target group, it’s implementation includes having different approaches to each housewife according to her profile.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SCRIPS is a recently registered community-based organisation that stands for the Society for Rights of Indigenous People of Sarawak (Pertubuhan Hak Asasi Orang Asal Sarawak). It caters for the needs of the indigenous communities in the whole state of Sarawak, Malaysia and is open to all the indigenous people in Sarawak. SCRIPS’ vision is to produce an indigenous community that is knowledgeable about their constitutional rights and freedom as citizens of this country and exercise such rights and freedom wisely and legally in the country. The work or service rendered by SCRIPS to the indigenous communities is based on its own objectives and mission. Basically, SCRIPS’ outreach programs are based on these four areas which we know the indigenous communities need urgently as citizens of Malaysia. The four areas are education, leadership training, documentation and cultural preservation cum promotion.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bob Holmes, Pravin Peraba and Ray Jennings discuss the midweek Champions League action which saw Bayern Munich ran riot on Manchester City at the Etihad and Ozil scoring his 1st goal for Arsenal in a convincing 2-0 against Napoli. They also look forward to the BPL games this weekend with West Brom up against in-form Arsenal, Liverpool against struggling Crystal Palace and manager-less Sunderland against Moyes' Manchester United.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hotels today are becoming more pleasantly unusual to attract travelers looking for something different. We had in the studio with us the owners of 2 very different and unique hotels that has recently popped up in the country. The founders of the respective hotels told us more about the REN i Tang Hotel (Penang) and the Container Hotel (KL).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is rising the price of cigarettes enough of a deterrent to stop people smoking? Would you say that the price rise is too much; or not enough? Will it stop people from lighting up in the first place? And should we be looking at other alternatives? The Evening Edition covered the recent cigarrette hike and its impact on smokers this Talkback Tuesday.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jeff Sandhu takes over from the absent Ross Yusof with Pravin Peraba, Gogulan & Kam Raslan and chats about the defeat on both teams in Manchester, Arsenal's stay to the top, Suarez returns with a brace and the London derby with AVB and Jose Mourinho, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, with a preview on Everton vs Newcastle United later today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Patients Beyond Borders, the U.S - based provider for medical travel guidebooks quoted that Malaysia was among the top 10 medical tourism destinations in the world. According to The Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC), the number of medical travellers to our country has almost doubled from 341,288 in 2007 to 671, 727 in 2012. There's also been increasing interest in cosmetic surgery and aesthetic treatments. The Evening Edition spoke to Dr.Alice Prethima Michael, an Aesthetic Physician and Cosmetic Surgeon, Anti-aging and Total Wellness Specialist with over 10 years of experience.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ross Yusof & guests Bob Holmes, Ray Jennings & Craig Morraies lookback at the Capital One Cup 3rd round which saw Man United beat Liverpool 1-0 & wins for Spurs, Chelsea & Arsenal. The guys also discuss Jose Mourinho's 2nd stint at the Bridge as well as his relationship with Spurs boss Andre Villas Boas. There's also Malaysia Cup, Fantasy Football & the weekend previews.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The fuel hike that has us paying RM2.10 per litre for RON95 is something that we’re adjusting to, although when the news first hit, many of us worried over how it’ll hurt our pockets. So imagine, if you will, how things would be like in the future when fuel prices are higher and we’d end up paying, say RM5 per litre. Will our reaction be ten times worse than it is now? Perhaps the solution isn’t how else the government can help subsidise to help Malaysians, but how the country can help itself by looking at other sources of energy, instead of being completely reliant on fuels. United Nation’s Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon has said that renewable energy has the ability to lift the poorest nations to new levels of prosperity. Tapping into renewable energy and efficiency practices isn’t exactly something that is top-of-mind for most of us but it’s a move that the government is working to introduce. The first of its initiatives that applies directly to us is the introduction of 0% tax incentive on Hybrid cars, and sales have surged since its announcement. But ultimately, how do we move Malaysia towards becoming a nation ready to embrace energy efficiency options and understanding how it will help bring down the rising costs of living?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We covered Pearl Jam the band that, according to Wikipedia, has outlasted and outsold many of its contemporaries from the alternative rock breakthrough of the early 1990s, and is considered one of the most influential bands of the decade. And also because our listeners are huge fans too!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Badminton Association of Malaysia is not a happy house with the latest news of Rashid Sidek’s resignation as coach last week. Just 3 years ago, his older brother Misbun Sidek, coach of our number one player Lee Chong Wei, left in a huff as well with no reason from BAM for his departure. Chong Wei lamented the departures of both his coaches, citing problems within BAM’s management. In an article in The Star last week, Chong Wei says, “This is really sad. I may be the world No. 1 but I still need a coach. I know that the players make all the difference on the court but the coaches do play a part. They (the coaches) spend the most time with the players and understand us – our ups and downs.” And while the issue of finding coaches plague the BAM, the bigger question is what are we doing to produce more world-class badminton players? In the 80s and 90s, we had powerhouse doubles in the form of Razif-Jalani Sidek and Soon Kit-Beng Kiang. We were spoiled for choice in the singles category with Misbun Sidek, Foo Kok Keong and Rashid Sidek. Every Malaysian was familiar with the Indonesia-Malaysia rivalry in badminton and tournaments like the All-England championships, Asian Games and the Thomas Cup were household names that filled our papers and TV screens. The one win that is still etched in many Malaysians’ memories is the one that took place in 1992, 21 years ago. It was the Thomas Cup, it was held in KL and we faced our greatest rival - Indonesia. On a thrilling night that had everyone at the edge of their seats, we defeated Indonesia 3 - 2. Will Malaysia ever get to see a win that big again? Who else can we count on besides Lee Chong Wei? Today on Talkback Tuesday, we’re asking: Who do we have to continue Malaysia’s badminton legacy when Lee Chong Wei decides to step down?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Matt Bellotti, Stuart Cavens & Kam Raslan join Ross Yusof in the studio to chat about the one sided Manchester derby, Arsenal's rise to the top, Liverpool's defeat to Southampton, Paolo Di Canio, Everton, Spurs plus a look at the Championship, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, Malaysia Cup & Fantasy Football.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The recent decision by the federal government to increase the retail price of fuels was not the first and will not be the last of its kind. The last hike was in June 2008, petrol prices hit RM2.70 from RM1.92 per litre with Diesel up 1 ringgit from RM1.58 to 2.58. The Star reported that the Najib administration made the decision in an attempt to introduce immediate remedial measures to reduce its fiscal deficit. The PM also announced that the move would save the government RM1.1bil in subsidies for the rest of the year and a further RM3.3 billion annually. To help offset the hike, the government has promised more cash handouts in the form of BR1M.   To help us rationalize the recent subsidy cut by the government, we had Ivanpal Grewal,Executive Director of SEDAR to simplify things for us. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the late 80s, when he was the head of the Malaysian Special Branch, Tan Sri Rahim led the initial negotiations that eventually resulted in the signing of the Hat Yai Peace Accord between the Communist Party of Malaysia  and the Government of Malaysia, ending over four decades of hostilities. Uma and Ezra spoke to to Rahim Noor about Chin Peng and the finer details of the Hat Yai Peace Accord. Find out Tan Sri Rahim Noor's thoughts on the government's decision to deny Chin Peng his right to return.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Described as the must-attend event for business owners looking to sharpen their entrepreneurial skills, BFM’s Enterprise Breakaway is back this year after 2 successive runs since 2011. We speak to our Managing Director and Founder, Malek Ali and Head of Events here at BFM, Annie Wong for more details. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ross Yusof & his guests Matt Bellotti, Kam Raslan & Jeevan Selvanathan lookback at the BPL weekend & discuss Arsenal's Mesut Ozil inspired 3-1 win at Sunderland, Christian Erikssen's impressive debut for Spurs, Roberto Martinez working his magic at Everton. There's also a chat with Kelantan coach Bojan Hodak about the return of the Malaysia Cup and a look at the Championship, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1 & the Bundesliga. ALSO INCLUDES Winners & Losers, Uefa Champions League & Uefa Europa League. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ross Yusof & his guests Bob Holmes, Pravin Peraba & Ray Jennings lookback at the Tuesday World Cup qualifiers and discuss Roy Hodgson's England & their chances of qualifying. They also look at the other European qualifiers & chat about South America. There's also a short interview with Harimau Muda coach, Ong Kim Swee as he looks foward to Saturday's Merdeka Cup final against Myanmar. ALSO Fantasy Football, treatment room & the weekend previews.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.