Malaysiakini has uncovered a network of 263 Facebook accounts allegedly engaged in “astroturfing” to artificially boost support for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Anwar's office has denied this, but the exposé triggered the removal of 76 accounts. We discuss more with Jun Lin.

Other stories we covered:

• Trump's peace plan for Gaza: US President Donald Trump unveiled a 20-point plan, the third proposal he's presented aimed at ending the war in Gaza. While Israeli PM Benjamin voiced initial support, he later rejected key elements. We dive into this with Ferooze Ali, Senior Fellow at the Asia Middle East Center.

• Arrested in Thailand over criticism on Malaysian politics: Australian-born academic Murray Hunter was detained in Thailand at Malaysia’s request, facing defamation charges over posts targeting MCMC, police, and UMNO leaders. The arrest follows years of friction, including the removal of his blog. We speak with Wathshlah Naidu from the Centre for Independent Journalism to unpack the implications.

• Budi95 kick off: The BUDI95 fuel subsidy programme officially launched nationwide yesterday, allowing eligible Malaysians to purchase RON95 petrol at RM1.99 per litre. We hear first-hand experiences from BFM staff Justin Wong, as well as economist Dr Ahmed Razman Abdul Latiff, who weighs in on what this means for Malaysia’s broader subsidy rationalisation efforts.

• Choosing a life on the streets: Zhao Dian, a 32-year-old with five university degrees, has chosen to live simply on the streets of Dali, China, after years abroad in cities like Sydney and New York. He says his minimalist lifestyle of surviving on 100 yuan a month has brought him peace and purpose, though it has stirred some debate. We discuss.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

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

Presented by: Lee Chwi Lynn, Sharaad Kuttan, Susan Tam

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Categories:  travel,  Family/Parenting,  economy,  government,  politics,  international,  controversies,  technology,  Law/Activism,  corruption

Tags:  astroturfing,  minimalist living,  Budi95,  fuel subsidy,  malaysian politics,  criticism,  president donald trump,  israeli-palestine,  gaza,  facebook,  Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim,