BFM 89.9

HIGHLIGHTS 
Podcast  >  Evening Edition  >  Top 5 At 5  >  Top 5 at 5: Lawyers March for Judicial Independence

Top 5 at 5: Lawyers March for Judicial Independence

Steven Thiru, President, Commonwealth Lawyers Association

14-Jul-25 17:00

Top 5 at 5: Lawyers March for Judicial Independence

Over a thousand lawyers took to the streets of Putrajaya today, marching from the Palace of Justice to the Prime Minister’s Office. The Malaysian Bar submitted a memorandum with four key demands in response to growing concerns over judicial independence, particularly the delay in appointing a new Chief Justice. We speak to Steven Thiru, president of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association, to understand what this means for the rule of law.

Other stories we covered:

• Alpha male picked for US Ambassador: Controversial commentator Nick Adams is nominated as US Ambassador to Malaysia, sparking pushback over his far-right views. Former Ashfield councillor Marc Receretnam recounts Adams’ political stunts in Australia, while ex-envoy Dato’ Ilango Karuppanan explains Malaysia’s options in responding diplomatically.

• FRIM joins UNESCO World Heritage List: FRIM is now officially a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its pioneering rainforest restoration. Deputy Director General Mahmudin Saleh shares his thoughts on how the recognition will strengthen conservation efforts and inspire similar projects around the world.

• How a teen squash star revealed Perak's squash crisis: 15-year-old Jinoreeka Ning clinched the Asian Junior title without a coach, highlighting Perak’s long-running sports mismanagement. Her father R. Manivannan details the family’s RM250,000 self-funded journey, while journalist Aizawati Ahmad calls for urgent reform in the state’s squash association.

• Superman, immigration and US Culture Wars collide: Director James Gunn frames Superman as a pro-immigrant story, prompting right-wing outrage and online backlash. We explore how the debate mirrors declining support for Trump’s immigration policies, despite his campaign using Superman imagery.

Image Credit: BFM News

Produced by: Alia Zefri, Sudais Ferhard, Juliet Jacobs, Sneha Harikannan, Dashran Yohan

Presented by: Sharaad Kuttan, Dashran Yohan


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

Categories:  filmcultureenvironmentHistory/HeritagepoliticsgovernmentinternationalLaw/Activismcorruptioncontroversies

Tags:  american exceptionalismlawyers marchsupermansuperman 2025wokeunited states of americaus president donald trumpperakmalaysian squashfrimunesco world heritagetin miningalpha malesnick adamstoxic masculinitythe Malaysian Bar Counciljudicial independence





Play / Pause

Listen now : Health & Living: Have you seen weight loss medications marketed at you...

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

Shahnaz Al-Sadat, Chairperson of LeapEd Services, discusses the upcoming education blueprint as well as the Education Ministry's proposal to bring back UPSR and PT3 exams.

7:45 AM

Morning Brief

Dr. Benjamin Loh, course Director, Bachelor of Digital Media & Communication at Monash University, shares his views about the controversial Grok chatbot.

8:00 AM

The Breakfast Grille

Dr. Stephen Farnsworth, University of Mary Washington discusses the state of US foreign relations following the attack on Venezuela and capture of Nicolas Maduro.

8:30 AM

Morning Brief

James Dorsey, Adjunct Senior Fellow, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies discusses whether Iran is on the verge of a regime change.

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

Royce Tan, Senior Analyst, MBSB Research gives his view on Sunway's takeover offer for IJM.

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

APOM’s Chantelle Teoh and Kelvin Long will explore their journey from advertising to retail, building a 7-figure brand by turning Malaysian culture into "witty" merchandise.

11:00 AM

Marketing Mojo

Malaysia’s 2026 Media Map: TikTok Shops, YouTube Classrooms. Vase.ai’s Julie Ng unpacks why TikTok has become the top brand discovery engine (64%) and YouTube the primary learning hub (79%).

12:00 PM

Enterprise Explores

Lock In or Lose Out? The Looming Office Supply Crunch. Knight Frank’s Amy Wong explains why 2026 is a "decision year" for tenants as new office supply is set to drop by 11% this year.

2:05 PM

Discovery Hour

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

3:05 PM

Beyond the Ballot Box

We speak to Wendy Kopp, CEO and co-founder of Teach For All about her passion for education, how Teach For All fills in the gaps in education inequality and what Malaysia can do better.

4:05 PM

Health & Living

Have you seen weight loss medications marketed at you online? Should you be tempted to buy them? We speak to an expert about why this is more dangerous than you think.

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