BFM 89.9

HIGHLIGHTS 
Podcast  >  Evening Edition  >  Top 5 At 5  >  Top 5 at 5: Seven Decades Later, Still No Apology for Batang Kali

Top 5 at 5: Seven Decades Later, Still No Apology for Batang Kali

Dato' Quek Ngee Meng, victims' family lawyer and coordinator, Action Committee Condemning the Batang Kali Massacre | Ankit Sanghvi, victims' family lawyer

13-Mar-25 17:00

Top 5 at 5: Seven Decades Later, Still No Apology for Batang Kali

It has been 76 years since the Batang Kali Massacre which saw British soldiers kill 24 Malayan rubber tappers after accusing them of supporting communist insurgents. We speak to Angkit Sanghvi and Dato' Quek Ngee Meng to discuss the apology that was demanded by the victims' families and what it would take to achieve broader post-colonial reparations.

Other stories we covered:

Updates on Orang Asli land rights lawsuit: The Temiar Orang Asli community in Kampung Kelaik have now urged the Kelantan High Court to visit their village in order to witness the damage left behind by corporations as well as the Kelantan state government. This is all part of an ongoing customary land rights lawsuit which could see the community regain ownership of their ancestral land. We speak to lawyer Rajesh Nadarajan to learn more.
• Fake birth cert syndicate busted: Authorities have arrested 26 individuals tied to a number of fake birth certificate schemes. We reach out to Sumitha Shaanthinni Kishna, Director of Our Journey, a civil society organisation focussed on advocacy for migrant rights to find out the lasting impact these falsified documents will have on families.
• Man gets terminated for strenuous activity while under medical leave: The court ruled in favour of a company who terminated a man's employment after he was caught playing sepak takraw and climbing a tree while he had taken four months of medical leave. Employment lawyer Lim Zi Han weighs in.
• Forest in the Amazon cleared to build highway for climate summit: We discuss the irony of the Amazon forest being felled to make way for environmental talks, as well as the various costs of human activity.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

Produced by: Sudais Ferhard, Sneha Harikannan, Lim Sue Ann, Alia Zefri

Presented by: Lee Chwi Lynn, Sharaad Kuttan


This and more than 60,000 other podcasts in your hand. Download the all new BFM mobile app.

Categories:  economypoliticsgovernmentinternationalenvironmentcorruptionLaw/ActivismcontroversiescultureHistory/HeritagemanagingCorporates

Tags:  british soldiersmalayan rubber tapperscommunist insurgentsfake birth certificatemedical leavebatang kali massacrekelantanorang aslitemiarKampung Kelaiklawsuitancestral landsyndicatemigrant rightssepak takrawemployment lawamazon forestclimate summit





Play / Pause

Listen now : Open For Business : Co-founders Sean Tan and Jesmine Tan join us...

Today’s Shows



6:00 AM

The 6AM Stretch

Thought-provoking discussions on ideas, people and events shaping our lives.

7:00 AM

World Market Watch

Tim Mulholland, President, TJM Limited, Chicago tells us where international markets are heading.

7:15 AM

Morning Brief

We recap global and local headlines from today's papers and portals.

7:30 AM

Morning Brief

Prof. Alexis Dudden of NUS discusses what’s at stake in Japan’s snap election this Sunday.

7:45 AM

Morning Brief

Dr. Renard Siew, Climate Change & Sustainability Expert discusses if Malaysia’s e-waste import ban will make a real change.

8:00 AM

The Breakfast Grille

Juan Carlos Moreno Gutiérrez, Chargé d’Affaires of Colombia in Malaysia, discusses Colombia-Malaysia ties and his views on the US–Venezuela crisis.

8:30 AM

Morning Brief

Dr. Michael Montesano, Associate Senior Fellow, ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute talks about Thai election.

8:45 AM

Morning Brief

Trung Ghi, Partner and Head of Energy & Utilities at Arthur D. Little in Asia Pacific, discusses the global critical minerals landscape in the wake of US government's recent moves.

9:00 AM

Opening Bell

(REPEAT)Tim Mulholland, President, TJM Limited, Chicago tells us where international markets are heading.

9:15 AM

Opening Bell

Geoff Howie, Market Strategist, Singapore Exchange gives us an outlook for Singapore's market.

9:35 AM

What's The Focus

We wrap up the week’s biggest conversations to keep you in the know.

10:05 AM

Open For Business

Co-founders Sean Tan and Jesmine Tan join us to break down what has changed since we last spoke to them in 2024, how their revenue mix and operations have evolved, the commercial logic behind their move into kids skincare, the economics of selling across online and physical retail, and how they are balancing scale with profitability as they plan for 2026 and beyond.

11:00 AM

Mattsplained

Matt Armitage, Founder, Kulturpop

12:00 PM

Enterprise Explores

MTDC 2

1:00 PM

The Breakfast Grille Repeat

Juan Carlos Moreno Gutiérrez, Chargé d’Affaires of Colombia in Malaysia, discusses Colombia-Malaysia ties and his views on the US–Venezuela crisis.

2:05 PM

Discovery Hour

An eclectic selection of BBC shows, curated with variety in mind.

3:05 PM

Front Row

Tune in to find out about the latest happenings in the local arts scene, and get the lowdown on the best shows and exhibitions in town.

3:20 PM

Front Row

Tune in to find out about the latest happenings in the local arts scene, and get the lowdown on the best shows and exhibitions in town.

4:05 PM

Health & Living

We look at MAKNA’s 30-year history in helping improve the lives of cancer patients.

5:00 PM

Top 5 at 5

A countdown of the 5 biggest stories of the day, to catch you up on all you need to know!

6:00 PM

Popcorn Culture

We review Sam Raimi’s survival-horror flick, Send Help, and then ask: What are the best depictions of survival, whether in movies or TV?

7:00 PM

Just For Kicks

8:00 PM

Bar None

Bowling legend, Esther Cheah joins us in the studio to reflect on her career after announcing her retirement recently.

9:00 PM

The Selector

Covering all styles of music from indie, dubstep, folk, soul, electro and everything in between from some of the most exciting artists in the UK.