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 : The Breakfast Grille: Nizam Abdul Razak, Founder & CEO of Monsta Studios...

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

Joe Quinlan, Chief Market Strategist, US Trust-BOA Private Wealth Management 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. Amin Saikal of The Australian National University discusses whether diplomacy is still on the table as US-Iran tensions escalate.

7:45 AM

Morning Brief

: Soh Lian Seng, Head of Tax at KPMG in Malaysia, discusses the New Incentive Framework and influencer tax.

8:00 AM

The Breakfast Grille

Nizam Abdul Razak, Founder & CEO of Monsta Studios Sdn Bhd discusses Papa Zola The Movie’s RM60 million success and the making of a Malaysian animation powerhouse.

8:30 AM

Morning Brief

Professor Datin Paduka Dr Fatimah Mohamed Arshad, Food Security Chair, UPM talks about the National Food Security Policy 2030 and proposed National Food Security Act.

8:45 AM

Morning Brief

(REPEAT) We dive into the local and international news that matters to you.

9:00 AM

Opening Bell

(REPEAT) Joe Quinlan, Chief Market Strategist, US Trust-BOA Private Wealth Management tells us where international markets are heading.

9:15 AM

Opening Bell

(REPEAT) We take a look at the FBM KLCI as well as regional capital markets.

9:35 AM

People, Planet, Profit

We cover the latest news and views in the ESG space to help businesses thrive with impact.

10:05 AM

Open For Business

In an F&B landscape often defined by rapid burnout and aggressive discounting, Arieni Ritzal has taken a different path. Since her last visit to the studio, Gula Cakery has evolved from a boutique success into a disciplined enterprise with 19 outlets and a projected RM20 million in sales for 2025.

11:00 AM

Marketing Mojo

René Menezes, Leader, Kult

12:00 PM

Enterprise Explores

Running a business built on local craft and grit is a cornerstone of Malaysian culture. But as the nation prepares for the massive influx of Visit Malaysia 2026, "passion" alone may no longer be enough to scale. While MSMEs represent 97% of all registered businesses and contribute 38% of the national GDP, many remain tethered to a cash-heavy past that limits their growth. In this episode of Open For Business, We sit down with Previn Pillay, Country Manager of Visa Malaysia, to discuss the invisible infrastructure required to move a business from a simple roadside transaction to a total digital transformation.

1:00 PM

The Breakfast Grille Repeat

Nizam Abdul Razak, Founder & CEO of Monsta Studios Sdn Bhd discusses Papa Zola The Movie’s RM60 million success and the making of a Malaysian animation powerhouse.

2:05 PM

Discovery Hour

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

3:05 PM

Beyond the Ballot Box

4:05 PM

Health & Living

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

Talkback Tuesday

8:00 PM

BBC World Service