BFM 89.9

HIGHLIGHTS 
Podcast  >  Evening Edition  >  Top 5 At 5  >  Top 5 at 5: Is Malaysia's RM2.3 Billion War on Drugs Worth It?

Top 5 at 5: Is Malaysia's RM2.3 Billion War on Drugs Worth It?

Palani Narayanan, Director, Drug Policy Program Malaysia

01-Oct-24 17:00

Top 5 at 5: Is Malaysia's RM2.3 Billion War on Drugs Worth It?

Malaysia spent over RM2.3 billion on drug-related enforcement, rehab, and incarceration. We discuss the costs and challenges of the government's security-first approach as well as policy alternatives with Palani Narayanan, Director of Drug Policy Program Malaysia.

Other stories we covered today:

· Pakatan Harapan's Shift on Lynas Explained: PKR Deputy President Rafizi Ramli recently explained why Pakatan Harapan reversed its stance on Lynas, allowing the rare earths firm to continue operations under strict environmental conditions. We hear thoughts on this from Tan Bun Teet, Chairperson of Save Malaysia Stop Lynas.

· MACC Turning to Polygraph Tests: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission is introducing polygraph tests to boost corruption investigations, claiming a 97% accuracy rate. We discuss the reliability of these tests in court with criminologist Dr. Haezreena Begum Abdul Hamid.

· Life Expectancy Disparities Across Malaysian States: Selangor leads in life expectancy at 78 years, while Terengganu falls behind at 72 years. District-level data reveals even wider gaps, with Kuala Penyu at 63 years and Petaling at 80. Dr. Rahimah Ibrahim explains national trends post-pandemicAssociate Professor Dr. Rahimah Ibrahim, Director of the Malaysian Research Institute on Ageing, explains national trends post-pandemic.

· Measuring Poverty via Net Disposable Income: The Malaysian government will now use net disposable income to better identify those needing aid, ensuring fairer resource distribution based on essential living expenses. We discuss this new method with Dr. Ahmed Razman Abdul Latiff, MBA Programme Director at Putra Business School.

Image Credit: MART PRODUCTION, Pexels

Produced by: Sudais Ferhard, Juliet Jacobs, Alia Zefri, Tee Shiao Eek, Alena Nadia

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:  politics,  government,  international,  Law/Activism,  controversies

Tags:  Malaysia drug spending,  incarceration costs,  Home Secretary-General,  MACC polygraph tests,  anti-corruption efforts,  life expectancy Malaysia,  poverty measurement,  net disposable income,  government aid distribution,  Malaysian statistics department,  drug policy,  drug rehabilitation,  lynas corporation,  pakatan harapan,  rare earth mining,  health statistics, 


Latest Podcasts




Play / Pause

Listen now : Morning Brief: Dr James Chin, Professor in Asian Studies, University of Tasmania...

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

Sarah Jane Mahmud, Senior Industry Analyst, Bloomberg Intelligence discusses the outlook for Singapore banks.

7:45 AM

Morning Brief

Khairy Jamaluddin, podcaster and former Minister of Health discusses Bukit Damansara protest and sustainable urban planning.

8:00 AM

The Breakfast Grille

Koichiro Satomi, Deputy Group Managing Director of Asia Pacific Kinokuniya and Managing Director for Kinokuniya Malaysia talks about what differentiates Kinokuya from other bookstores in the country and more.

8:30 AM

Morning Brief

Nigel Wong, President of MATTA, on the tourism industry's expectations of Budget 2025.

8:45 AM

Morning Brief

Dr James Chin, Professor in Asian Studies, University of Tasmania discussing key developments on Sabah state elections.

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 provide an update on the FBM KLCI, the counters gaining and losing the most value, as well as the listed players that are moving the local bourse the most.

9:35 AM

People, Planet, Profit

Belinda Schape, China Policy Analyst at CREA, discusses what China’s first emissions cut target of up to 10% by 2030 means for its climate ambitions.

10:05 AM

Open For Business

11:00 AM

Marketing Mojo

12:00 PM

Enterprise Explores

1:00 PM

The Breakfast Grille Repeat

Our flagship show, we feature both game-changers and groundbreakers in the hot seat.

2:05 PM

Discovery Hour

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

3:05 PM

Beyond the Ballot Box

Representatives from the Gender Budget Group share their wishlist for Budget 2026 and what it takes to build a more inclusive and equal Malaysia across genders.

4:05 PM

Health & Living

Breast cancer is one of the most treatable cancers if detected early, so why are some women still refusing to do mammograms today? We speak to community advocates on how we can change things up.

5:00 PM

Top 5 at 5

6:00 PM

Talkback Tuesday

8:00 PM

BBC World Service