Evening Edition

Do you remember when the books you grew up with shaped your childhood? With children reading less, are we seeing fewer readers in the world? We speak to Elina Drucker of Stockholm University on how children's literature has evolved over time and how reading from a young age can be a powerful tool for growth, not just for children, but for the adults raising them too. Image Credits: cottonbro studi...

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange's appeal against extradition to the US on espionage charges has concluded. We speak to Greg Barns SC about the key legal arguments presented, their potential impact on Assange's future, and how international support might influence this case with significant implications for press freedom and whistleblowing. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener fo...

The Penang House of Music, one of the state's institutions of rich musical heritage, has announced that it will close its doors. This prompted a wave of responses from people, as well as the Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil, who said he would be looking into how best to help. We speak to Paul Augustin, musician and founder of the music house, on his decision to shut down, as well as what he ho...

An X user has expressed how easy it is to be a great host, over being the perfect guest. This bodes an interesting question on how to balance grace and etiquette in both roles. When you're a guest, do you ask for teh o' ais over plain water? And as a host, do you feel the need to clean your house from top to bottom before your guests arrive? We discuss all the nuances and expectations that come fo...

A bit of bad news in terms of our economic development: A recently published article , has revealed that the country’s economic growth in 2023 fell short of expectations, reaching only 3.7% instead of the predicted 4-5%, falling below even the most pessimistic forecasts. We speak to one of the authors of the article, on what he recommends is the best way to go from here. Image credit: Redo_72, Pix...

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad is considering introducing designated smoking areas in high-traffic areas, like Jalan Alor and Bukit Bintang, due to space constraints making it difficult to maintain the 3-metre distance rule. We speak to Dr. Zarihah Mohd Zain on how such a move could be enforced and whether it would be effective. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener fo...

For a decade, the Portuguese settlement in Malacca has fought to protect its cultural heritage and livelihoods against the encroaching Melaka Gateway project, now rebranded as the Melaka Waterfront Economic Zone. A recent Malaysiakini article reignited concerns, prompting us to speak with Michael Singho, an activist who first raised the alarm in 2013, on how this mega-project threatens the long-te...

With up to 164 charges involving money laundering, criminal breach of trust and cheating amounting to RM79 million against three executives of Aman Palestine, we discuss whether this affects the trust that people have that their donations are getting to the right people. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unofficial counts show the former Defence Minister, Prabowo Subianto, securing approximately 60% of the Indonesian vote, and with it, the Indonesian presidency. We speak to Keith Leong, Head of Research at the KRA Group on how Prabowo's complex career might shape his governance, and what his "strongman" approach will bring to both domestic and foreign policy moving forward. Image Credit: Shutterst...

The bid to nominate the New Villages as Unesco World Heritage Sites has generated both support from historians and resistance from political leaders. We speak to Associate Professor Dr. Keith Tan for a nuanced discussion on the pros and cons of listing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bayan Lepas MP Sim Tze Tzin raised concerns on the shrinking Malaysian-Chinese population, pinning hope on the Dragon Year to improve Chinese birth rates. But with births at historic lows, is a symbolic year enough? We speak to Chai Sen Tyng to explore the complex reality of population dynamics among the Chinese community and the impact that this decline will have on the population segment in the...

Clean Cut, our monthly comedy series is back with its sixth episode. You know the drill by now, this is the show where we invite comedians to come to our offices and perform a set in from of the BFM staff, with the challenge that it has to be playable on air. This time around, we have Shamaine Othman, who brings us all the laughs and giggles. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The premiere of Rain Town in cinemas, coinciding with Chinese New Year, marks a first for Malaysian cinema: a fully-Cantonese film directed by a Malay director. We speak to film actress Susan Lankester about the culturally borderless quality of Rain Town and its exploration of family relationships. Image Credit: 'Rain Town' Official Facebook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A nine-member Federal Court bench has allowed lawyer Nik Elin Zurina Nik Abdul Rashid and her daughter’s challenge to strike out 16 out of 18 Kelantan shariah laws passed by the state legislature in 2019, ruling that it runs contrary to the federal list that stipulates similar offences. Rozana Isa of Sisters in Islam, joins us to understand this ruling, and the significance it has in our legal lan...

A tweet on X brought up how air-conditioners are considered a luxury good in India, with a GST rate of 28%, and compared that to the widespread and casual use of the AC in Malaysia. This got us wondering - how do people use, or think about, air-conditioning in our country? And what are the long-term climate costs involved? Image credit: 123rf.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information...

We return to the controversial Royal pardon for jailed former Prime Minister Najib Razak after his lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah revealed the contents of the outgoing Agong's purported letter to the Pardon's Board. We speak to Shazwan Kamal about how this "revelation" changes the optics of the controversy and its impact on Umno's fractured internal dynamics. Photo credits: Afif Abd. Hali...

Obeying laws, paying taxes, properly disposing of waste; these are just a few ways that people can contribute to their country. But what does it really mean to be a contributing citizen, and how do different individuals approach this concept? We discuss this with our listeners. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The alleged absconding of former Sarawak governor Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, who is believed to be in a critical health condition, has caused a stir within the local media sphere. Taib's second wife, Raghad Kurdi, has denied the abduction. This is coming on the heels of Taib's children suing Raghad over the transfer of shares owned by their father to her name in a public listed conglomerate....

When you show up at a family gathering, which version of you do you become? Are you the unofficial tech-support, or are you the doctor that everyone comes to for medical advice? Are you quiet, or are you a chatterbox? We ask listeners what role they play when it's time for a family get-together. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reports of cancer patients resorting to loan sharks to fund the high costs of treatment, has called to question the financial accessibilty of cancer care. We unpack the financial barriers to accessing adequate medical treatment with Dr. Murallitharan Munisamy, Director of the National Cancer Society Malaysia. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People on social media have been sharing snippets of their lives, back when they were young, wild and free (or more specifically, back when they were 21). We share our own experiences, and hear some of our listeners, on what it was at that age and how much has changed since then. Image credit: 123rf.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The sentence and fine reduction of former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has divided public opinion, while Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's call for respect for the decision continues to be challenged. We speak to Dr Syaza Shukri on the political ramifications of these events. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's not so easy to bounce back into the working world once unemployed. The emotional spiral that follows is difficult to break from, and many may end up resorting to unhealthy coping mechanisms. We speak to clinical psychologist, Sarah Zehan, on the support systems that need to be provided to the unemployed to keep their spirits strong through vulnerability. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystu...

A viral thread on X has made us wonder: When you’re in a crisis, what kind of support would help you most? Some prefer to be left alone, while others prefer words, actions or even physical support - but how do we know what's best? We share our thoughts on the nature of both giving and reaching out for help in sensitive times. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor...

We speak to Dr. Shamsul Amri Baharuddin on the swearing-in of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar of Johor as the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and how the role of the YDPA and the royal ceremony underlines the cultural and sociopolitical DNA of Malaysia. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.