Evening Edition

The Human Resources Ministry has introduced an e-learning hub for all Malaysians to pick up different types of skills, amidst the backdrop of rising unemployment as the pandemic worsens in the country. We speak to Mohan Argunan to understand what e-LATiH is, and how it aims to tackle unemployment. Image Source: Tran Mau Tri Tam, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Malaysia and Indonesia agreeing in priciple on a Reciprocal Green Lane, we speak to Khor Yu Leng to understand if this would strengthen trade ties between both countries, and if this points to the re-opening of our economy internationally. Image Source: Afif Kusuma, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to a report by Sinar Harian, electronic gadgets have seen a price hike of up to 70% this year, adding to the challenges of online learning. We speak to Bukit Mertajam MP, YB Steven Sim for his insights on how this will affect students, and needs to be done to alleviate the problem. Image Source: CardMapr, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In an exclusive interview with the Malay Mail, DAP's Liew Chin Tong talks about the need for political parties to master the art of forming strong coalitions. We speak to Shazwan Mustafa for his thoughts, and talk about whether coalitions are still the way forward for politics in the country. Image Source: Ismunazif Fendy, ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry is seeking approval from the National Security Council to allow for dine-ins, but is this safe? We speak to two restauranteurs, Tony Lim and Andrew Lee, for their thoughts. Image Source: CHUTTERSNAP, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development reported that in 2020, Malaysia experienced the worst drop in foreign direct investment around the region due to political instability. We speak to Professor Mahendhiran Nair to understand how this came to be, and if we should anticipate further drops in the future. Image Source: Amrina Halmi, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The pandemic has revealed gaps in social protection for vulnerable groups, including senior citizens. However at the same time, it has jumpstarted systems to deliver assistance to these groups. What can be done to ensure that we have a strong social protection system for the ageing group beyond the pandemic? We speak with Emeritus Professor Datuk Dr Norma Mansor for her insights, based on the Malaysia Ageing and Retirement Survey. Image Source: Cristian Newman, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sabrina lays the details of rather worrying news coming from Zoo Negara, that 6 female spotted deers allegedly were sold and transported to a private company without following protocol. Image Source: Waldemar Brandt, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As children spend their school years quarantined at home, mental health support is becoming increasingly important. We speak to Lalitha Balakrishnan, a stay-at-home mum to get her view on what it's like to support her child. We also hear from Prakash Ravindran, a Clinical Psychologist on what parents and teachers can do for them during this stressful time.  Image Source: Kyle Gregory Devaras, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Chinese New Year SOPs announced yesterday, we check in with two people on how they will be celebrating the new year under these restrictions. Image Source: Michael Buillerey, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh and Bagan Datuk MP Zahid Hamidi have both raised concerns (albeit for different reasons!) over funds allocated for their constituencies. We speak to Thomas Fann, Chairperson of Bersih 2.0 to understand how this allocation shapes politics, and how it can be reformed to create a more meaningful democracy. Image Source: Lukas Blazek, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following Anonymous Malaysia’s recent threat to hack into government websites, CyberSecurity Malaysia has come out to assure that cybersecurity threats are being continuously monitored and kept under check in Malaysia. We take a look at what our cybersecurity system is like, and if there are areas we can further improve on. Image Source: Ray Dauphinais, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A law firm has successfully raised RM45,000 to help a Mongolian woman refile a sexual assault lawsuit against a former policeman. We explore the costs of sustaining a legal action, and what can be done to address this inadequacy in our system that further harms the vulnerable. Image Source: Tingey Injury Law Firm, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Advertising authorities in the UK have made a ruling against using face filters for beauty campaigns - citing exaggerated effects of products, but also touching on the larger issue of setting unrealistic beauty standards. Sabrina shares the details with us. Image Source: Cristina Zaragoza, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first version of a pandemic playbook has been released jointly by the IOC, Paralympics and Tokyo Olympics committee. Will these guidelines be enough for the games to go on safely? We speak to Graig Nunis to find out. Image Source: Kyle Dias, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Experts weigh in on the government's move to table the Residential Tenancy Act, which may see rental prices controlled through legislation. We speak to Dr Sr Hasniyati Hamzah to understand the implications of a rent control law. Image Source: Pete Wright, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Experts weigh in on the government's move to table the Residential Tenancy Act, which may see rental prices controlled through legislation. We speak to Dr Sr Hasniyati Hamzah to understand the implications of a rent control law. Image Source: Pete Wright, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SUHAKAM has called for the Perikatan Nasional government to expedite efforts to form a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) to investigate allegations of judicial misconduct. We speak to SUHAKAM to understand why this reform is necessary to build the public's trust towards the judiciary. Image Source: Pakhnyushchy, ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The MOE released an updated manual that will act as a guide for teachers to better structure online learning, as students around the country brace themselves for a prolonged period of learning from home due to Covid-19 restrictions. We speak to Chew Mei Yee from Teach For Malaysia for her insights on how providing better structures will improve the wellbeing of students. Image Source: Thomas Park, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new technology that is currently being tested by tech start-up Neuralink aims to cure neurological diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's by implanting microchips that can read and write brain activity. Sabrina gives us the details of this mind-boggling story. Image Source: Laura Ockel, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a long, drawn out battle, the Court of Appeal has quashed DBKL's development order to build luxury apartments in Taman Rimba Kiara. We speak to Leon Koay for his thoughts on this victory, and what it can mean for the future of preserving green spaces within our cities. Image Source: Emma Simpson, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Selangor becoming the epicentre of Covid-19 in Malaysia, BFM's Keith Kam speaks to Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, the chairman of the Selangor Covid-19 Task Force for some insights on what they are doing to curb the spread of the virus in Malaysia. Image Source: Magdiel Lagos, Unsplash Keith Kam (00:00): Datuk Seri Dr. Zulkefly Ahmad, more than a third of new national cases for January alone is from Selangor. Some days we are seeing more than half of the national cases. Could you give us a sense of what is going on here? Datuk Seri Dr. Zulkefly Ahmad (00:12): Right. Um, I must say that besides what had been said by DG (Director-General of Health) or the fact that the numbers skyrocketed to the point of 3,000 over, right in Selangor alone. And 5,000 over in the whole of Malaysia, that number actually, he has now admitted that it is due to the backlog of results that was not immediately sent up to SIMKA (Sistem Informasi Makmal Kesihatan Awan). So while that may be the case, but I think it is fair enough to say that the numbers have been increased across the last week. Even prior to that because Selangor particularly contributed more than half, sometimes ,to be the center, the reservoir for all this, because the compulsory screening of foreign workers and particularly Selangor, you know, is the site for industries, construction sites, as you very well know, this virus spread is a function of how intense human interactions are whatnot, Keith. So I don't think I need to emphasize further of the fact that those outbreaks, were essentially from factories, from construction sites, from those areas that are already been said so many times. So that's the reason why beyond just being densely populated, it's because Selangor forms the most industrialized and the most intense of all human communication interaction. And that's where you get all the outbreaks in construction sites and whatnot. Keith Kam (01:32): Dr. Dzul, you said that this has a lot to do with backlogs. What I'm afraid of now is that, is there more that we don't know about and need to prepare for? Datuk Seri Dr. Zulkefly Ahmad (01:40): Okay. Honestly, I tell you when I saw that, honestly, we got to get to the bottom of this because all this prediction of R naught and the basis on which you make your decision, it all rests on real time, or at least for seven rolling days, or 14, the fact remains that you got to know what you're talking about. So when data are suspect, whatever that you communicate every day, it doesn't reflect the real time. So it's fundamentally flawed. So this is what we are very concerned with. And this boils down to, you know, whether the data reflects what you have been talking about. No, we can't even affirm now, if our testing is adequate. Keith Kam (02:20): Are we operating blindly, then? Datuk Seri Dr. Zulkefly Ahmad (02:22): I must say that we thought we were driven by data. We thought that our decision was quite evidence-based, but now, you know, it really ran asunder and it's really, you know, I'm speechless too. It's not, it's not truly reflecting of what is really on the ground because, you know, number doesn't reflect real time. Keith Kam (02:45): So what can we do in a situation like this? As far as the STFC (Selangor Task Force Covid-19) is concerned because you are the chairman there, right? Datuk Seri Dr. Zulkefly Ahmad (02:54): We must understand, Keith - in so far as STFC okay, we are confined to Selangor, yes. But you must understand. We work very well with the state JKNS (Jabatan Kesihatan Negeri Selangor) we have some form of a division of work, which is quite workable, right? While they take on the outbreaks, you know, the clusters, whether it be the workplaces, factories, dormitories, and whatnot, while they handle that part, we will actually, let me, let me get this out clearly. They were doing more or less the firefighting while we were doing what is known as more preventive, the parameter communities cleaning, you know, for any spills over, right? So that's where we get to do more preventative aspect of the work using, you know, whatever that we could gather from data and Selangkah and our big data analytics and our risk ranking and all this that we have put together. So we were doing it until we were asked to stop - was to go and do community testing along the perimeter community , you know where there is spill over from outbreaks and whatnot. So we were actually doing cluster busting and breaking and stopping that kind of spread. So that was essentially what we were doing until it's been told to JKNS not to data share with us. We are now not doing the community screening anymore, by the way, you know, Keith. So that is one aspect of the work that we thought is really regrettable, is not being able to be continued. Keith Kam (04:20): Now, from your point of view, do MCOs and lockdowns actually work given that, you know, you have to strike that balance between lives and livelihoods. Datuk Seri Dr. Zulkefly Ahmad (0

In response to a headline today on 50,000 families in Kuala Lumpur living in poverty, we speak to Dr Jeyakumar of PSM for his views on how communities can reach out to those in need. Image Source: Christelle Hayek, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Myanmar resumed military rule yesterday after a coup, with democratically-elected leaders like Aang Sang Suu Kyi placed under detention. What does this mean for the hard-earned democracy in the country? We speak to Aaron Connelly for his insights. Image Source: Diego Gonzales, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the current MCO extended till the 18th of February, we speak to Dr Khor Swee Kheng to understand the effectiveness of the current SOPs, and get his views on alternative solutions the government can take to tackle the spread of Covid-19 in hard-hit states. Image Source: Mufid Majnun, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hotels in Penang are taking full advantage of the takeaway market by selling food at hawker stall prices, such as cendol, nasi lemak and laksa. How are Penang hawkers feeling about this move by the hotels? Sabrina gives us the details. Image Source: elCarito, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over 30,000 families in Kuala Lumpur have been found to be living in poverty, according to Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa. We speak to Zouhair Rosli to make sense of the scale of the problem, and get his thoughts on how it can be addressed. Image Source: Deva Darshan, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gamestop stocks rose to an all-time high after Redditors found a vulnerability in the shorting strategy of hedge fund managers. We speak to Jeffrey Halley for a 101 on what shorting means, and what this event can tell us about the future of stock trading. Image Source: Jason Briscoe, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Malaysian Insight reports that some bosses are ignoring the government's work-from-home rules, even with a rising number of workplace clusters. We speak to employment lawyer Sunitha Ruthram to understand the rights of workers, and what they can do in this situation. Image Source: Charles Deluvio, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can my condominium or apartment management bar my entry if I do not produce Covid-19 test results? How does the endorsement of this action by the MKN affect those who are already vulnerable due to the virus? We speak to Gene Tan to find out the legalities of this matter. Image Source: Dylan Mullins, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our final check in with Kavin and Sook Ning, we ask for their thoughts on how talking publicly about their resolutions helped them with being accountable, and if they would be keeping these resolutions in the months to come. Image Source: Tyler Nix, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Telegram has announced that users can now import their chat history from other messaging app companies, amidst earlier news of WhatsApp coming under fire due to privacy concerns. Image Source: Adem AY, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Bernama report suggests that KL-ites are losing their sense of belonging to the city. But what defines that sense of attachment, and how do you translate that feeling into active contribution to the city's development? We speak to Hamdan Majeed from ThinkCity about what we can do to build a stronger relationship with Malaysia's capital. Image Source: Azlan Baharudin, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a challenging year in 2020, is the job market set to see growth this year? We speak to Joelle Pang for her perspective. Image Soure: Clem Onojeghuo, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An opinion piece on The Malaysian Insight highlighted the plight of the self-employed, who may not be eligible to receive financial aid despite losing their income during the MCO. We speak to Ravin Shanmugarajan for his perspective on this matter, and ask Linnet Lee what self-employed people can do to access financial assistance. Image Source: Glenn Carstens-Peters, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Civil servants nationwide have been instructed to adopt a new sign-off for their official correspondence - 'Prihatin rakyat: Darurat memerangi Covid-19’. What message does this slogan send? We speak with James Chin for his thoughts. Image Source: Leon Seibert, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bookstores in the UK defied the pandemic last year, having seen record-breaking book sales. We speak to William Tham from Gerakbudaya to find out what the what the trends were like for Malaysian bookstores. Image Sources: Ugur Akdemir, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We check in with a Form 5 student who will be sitting for the SPM exams this February on what it's like heading back to school. We also talk to Dhanya Balan, Co-Founder of KauOKTak, about their efforts to provide a platform for teenage students to have open discussions regarding their current challenges. Image Source: Nguyen Dang Hoang Nhu, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A music video by a local musician has received much flak due to its use of brownface and perpetuating stereotypes that indicate that only fair is beautiful. We speak to Alvin Teoh to understand what ad agencies will have to do to meet the sensitivities of larger societal issues in the coming years. Image Source: Kate Hliznitsova, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Malaysian Association For The Blind (MAB) is calling for the government to revise the classification of services provided by blind massuers from "entertainment" to "alternative medicine", in a bid to help them regain the ability to work during this MCO. We speak to Rajeevan Gopala to understand how blind massuers are coping right now. You can donate to MAB by making a bank transfer to 514057637836 (Maybank: Malaysian Association for the Blind) with the reference note of "covid19 ASB". Image Source: Conscious Design, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you cut down on your use of public transportation due to Covid-19? How will public transportation evolve to meet changing demands post-pandemic? Professor Dr. Ahmad Farhan shares his insights with us. Image Source: Hendri Sabri, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A report by The Star found that trishaw riders will be suffering under the MCO, given that they will not be able to receive the angpaus they usually get from tourists during Chinese New Year. Shawn Tanis gives us the details. Image Source: Yaopey Yong, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With developing nations struggling to obtain vaccines, the WHO has warned that the failure of wealthy nations to lend a helping hand will affect the economy of the entire world. We speak to Dr Lim Chee Han for some insights. Image Sources: Hakkan Nukal, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former world champion Lee Chong Wei has criticized Lee Zii Jia's performance in the Thailand Opens, which saw him crashing out both in the quarter finals and the first round. We take a look the current crop of national badminton players, and analyze the possible future of badminton in Malaysia. Image Sources: Siora Photography, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What would a total economic shutdown mean for Malaysia? How would that affect the economy and budget deficit? Professor Mahendhiran Nair sheds light on these questions, and more. Image Sources: The Blowup, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our last installation of social justice resolutions for 2021, we speak to Jason Wee on how we can challenge our implicit biases and improve interracial relations. Image Sources: Cytonn Photography, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia has hit back at Google's latest warning to disable its search engine if they are forced to pay local publishers for news. Shawn Tanis tells us more. Image Source: Solen Feyissa, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How does online education impact already struggling students? Have teachers been able to provide them with the same education and outreach one can expect to get in physical classes? We speak to Harry Tan to find out. Image Source: Glenn Carstens, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As a result of the Ministry of Health's strained system, thousands of close contacts have gone unreported. We discuss with Nazihah Muhamad Noor from Khazanah Research Institute on what can be done to effectively improve our contact-tracing system. Image Source: Engin Akyurt, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As a result of the Ministry of Health's strained system, thousands of close contacts have gone unreported. We discuss with Nazihah Muhamad Noor from Khazanah Research Institute on what can be done to effectively improve our contact-tracing system. Image Source: Engin Akyurt, UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.