BFM 89.9

HIGHLIGHTS 
Podcast  >  Evening Edition  >  Top 5 At 5  >  Top 5 At 5: Myanmar's Health Crisis Battles For Survival

Top 5 At 5: Myanmar's Health Crisis Battles For Survival

Shinjiro Murata, General Director , Médecins Sans Frontiéres (Japan)

22-Aug-24 17:00

Top 5 At 5: Myanmar's Health Crisis Battles For Survival

The stories we covered today:

1. Our top story: The worrying state of Myanmar's public health systems, following the extreme escalation of conflict following the Myanmar millitary coup. We speak about this with Shinjiro Murata, general director of Médecins Sans Frontiéres.

2. Perikatan Nasional chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is being investigated for Sedition, after a clip of him appearing to question why the Sultan of Pahang, the then Yang diPertuan Agong, did not invite him to the palace to be sworn in as prime minister, at the conclusion of the 15th general elections. This has resulted in an onslaught of criticisms, police reports, and the Pahang royal household's ire. We hear from former deputy law minister Mohamed Hanipa Maidin, who is not in favor of the Sedition Act being used in this case.

3. A boat carrying 20 passengers capsized in Sungai Kayan, Kuching, and while 17 were rescued, three unfortunately drowned. Following this, there have been increased calls to expedite the construction of a bridge and roads so residents do not need to rely on precarious river transport. We hear comment from Meneng Biris, who is PKR’s Women's Wing Chief for Mas Gading.

4. There are tentative plans to bring back the Butterworth-Bangkok train service, which was stopped back in 2016. We speak to Nigel Wong, the honorary treasurer and spokesperson of the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents, on how this will impact tourism between Thailand and Malaysia. We also hear thoughts from Ooi Geok Ling, former managing director of Penang Global Tourism.

5. Two astronauts are now stranded on the International Space Station, after the Boeing Starliner spacecraft encountered issues while they were there. But the question most people would have, is how our body responds to spending that amount of time in space. We hear insights from Dr Rihana Bokhari, space physiologist and Acting Chief Scientific Officer at the Translational Research Institute for Space Health.

Image credit: Hafiz Johari, Shutterstock

Produced by: Alia Zefri, Juliet Jacobs, Alena Nadia, Lim Sue Ann

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:  politicsgovernmentinternationalLaw/Activismhealth policy

Tags:  myanmarpublic healthhealth crisissedition acttraintourismspace





Play / Pause

Listen now : Marketing Mojo: Margie Ong, CEO, Thoughts In Gear

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

Michele Schneider, Chief Strategist at Market Gauge 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

Dr. Azmi Hassan, Senior Fellow, Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research discusses recent updates in Malaysian politics.

7:45 AM

Morning Brief

Idham Idris, Director, Corporate Treasury Investment Services, Wealth Vantage Advisory talks about the Hire Purchase (Amendment) Act 2026.

8:00 AM

The Breakfast Grille

Davis Chong, CEO of Solarvest Holdings gives us an update on how the company is doing since last February, record net profits in the 9MFY2026 period, expansion plans and more.

8:30 AM

Morning Brief

Dr Jayant Menon, Visiting Senior Fellow at the ISEAS Yusof Ishak, unpacks implications of the voided Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) with the US means for Malaysia.

8:45 AM

Morning Brief

(REPEAT) Idham Idris, Director, Corporate Treasury Investment Services, Wealth Vantage Advisory talks about the Hire Purchase (Amendment) Act 2026.

9:00 AM

Opening Bell

(REPEAT)Michele Schneider, Chief Strategist at Market Gauge tells us where international markets are heading.

9:15 AM

Opening Bell

Nabil Zainoodin, Equity Research Analyst at BIMB Securities, discusses the outlook for Malaysia’s construction sector.

9:35 AM

BBC The Inquiry

Why Is Poland’s Economy Booming?

10:05 AM

Open For Business

Khor Swee Kheng, CEO and Aisha Adam, Director of Business Development, Angsana Health

11:00 AM

Marketing Mojo

Margie Ong, CEO, Thoughts In Gear

12:00 PM

Enterprise Explores

Vincent Chin, Managing Director and Senior Partner, and Global Vice Chair of BCG’s Public Sector Practice

1:00 PM

Breakfast Grille (REPEAT)

Davis Chong, CEO of Solarvest Holdings gives us an update on how the company is doing since last February, record net profits in the 9MFY2026 period, expansion plans and more.

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 a councillor from the Petaling Jaya City Council on their plans for the future, which includes making PJ more dense and accessible to public transportation.

4:05 PM

Health & Living

University can be a difficult transition period for young adults. How can parents maintain meaningful connection with their children while encouraging independence?

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