BFM 89.9

HIGHLIGHTS 
Podcast  >  Evening Edition  >  Top 5 At 5  >  Top 5 at 5: Trump's Planned Takeover of Gaza

Top 5 at 5: Trump's Planned Takeover of Gaza

Clemens Chay, Research Fellow, Middle East Institute, National University of Singapore

06-Feb-25 17:00

Top 5 at 5: Trump's Planned Takeover of Gaza

US President Donald Trump has proposed ‘owning’ Gaza, resettling 2 million Palestinians, and turning the region into a “Riviera of the Middle East.” While Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia reject the idea, Israel’s far right supports it. Clemens Chay, Research Fellow at the Middle East Institute at NUS, joins us to break it down.

Other stories we covered:

• Jakim’s controversial guidelines for non-Muslim events: Religious Affairs Minister Na’im Mokhtar says new guidelines will outline rules for Muslims attending non-Muslim events, including restrictions on locations, symbols, and speeches. While he insists they aim to promote interfaith harmony, concerns over religious freedom remain. We hear thoughts from Datuk Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa, founder of the Islamic Renaissance Front Malaysia.

• Stray dog attacks raise calls for better management: After a tragic mauling of an elderly woman in Sabah, concerns over stray dog management have resurfaced. With rare but fatal incidents in recent years, experts call for humane and effective solutions. Veterinarian Dr Salehatul Khuzaimah explains what needs to change.

• The Sims at 25: The Sims celebrates 25 years as a genre-defining game, revolutionizing open-ended gameplay and reflecting shifting cultural norms. From burning houses to Sims starving, it remains a cultural icon. We discuss it's significance.

• Popek Popek Parlimen: Today, discussions focused on ASEAN membership criteria in relation to Timur-Leste, Malaysia’s trade ties with the US, and updates on the SARA aid program, which now covers Sabah and Sarawak.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

Produced by: Sneha Harikannan, Sudais Ferhard, Lim Sue Ann, Sharaad Kuttan, 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:  economypoliticsinternationalgovernmentcontroversiesLaw/Activismculturegaming

Tags:  trump gaza planjakim guidelinesreligious freedom malaysiastray dog attacksthe sims 25th anniversarygaming culturemiddle east politicsanimal welfare Malaysiaparliament





Play / Pause

Listen now : The Selector: Covering all styles of music from indie, dubstep, folk, soul,...

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

Kingsley Jones, Chief Investment Officer, Jevons Global 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

Sim Moh Siong, Commodity Strategist, OCBC Bank gives us an outlook on oil prices.

7:45 AM

Morning Brief

John Zogby, Founder of Zogby Strategies,discusses the rising tensions between the US, Denmark, and Greenland over the island’s strategic role in the Arctic.

8:00 AM

The Breakfast Grille

Fozia Amanulla, CEO of Boost Bank Berhad, talks about what makes the digital bank stands out among its peers.

8:30 AM

Morning Brief

Goh Cia Yee, Criminal Lawyer, weighs in on whether Deferred Prosecution Agreements are a step forward or a loophole for major corruption cases.

8:45 AM

Morning Brief

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

9:00 AM

Opening Bell

(REPEAT) Kingsley Jones, Chief Investment Officer, Jevons Global 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

What's The Focus

We wrap up the week’s biggest conversations to keep you in the know.

10:05 AM

Open For Business

Nick Ng, Founder and CEO of Hock Kee Kopitiam. How do you turn nostalgia into a scalable business in one of Malaysia’s most crowded food and beverage markets? On this episode of Open For Business, we speak with Nick Ng, Founder and CEO of Hock Kee Kopitiam, about building a modern kopitiam brand rooted in heritage, community, and made-to-order tradition. From opening a single outlet in Johor Bahru with no prior restaurant experience to growing a multi-outlet chain across Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, and Johor, Nick shares what it takes to stay relevant while scaling. We explore how Hock Kee maintains consistency across outlets, how its revenue mix has evolved, the impact of Halal certification and tourism-linked collaborations, and the operational pressures of running a fast-growing F&B business.

11:00 AM

Mattsplained

Matt Armitage, Founder, Kulturpop. 2026. Will it be the year that a robot butler finally delivers crisps to Matt on a silver platter? That nuclear fusion goes mainstream and everyone owns their own star generating tokamak? Maybe a way to send actual viruses to digital scammers. Or will it be more rent to own subscriptions, low earth orbit collisions, private space travel and incomprehensible fridges. In the first part of a series on technologies in ‘26, Rich and Matt take a look at consumer tech, imagine what IRL AI looks like, advances in energy production. And those all-important billionaire bolt holes in space.

12:00 PM

Enterprise Explores

Arun Menon (Managing Director), Ipsos Malaysia. It’s a new year, and optimism is starting to creep back in. On this episode of Enterprise Explores, we examine Ipsos Malaysia’s 2026 Predictions report to understand how Malaysians are feeling about the year ahead and what that means for businesses. From confidence in the economy and attitudes towards AI and jobs, to the growing importance of wellbeing and the commercial impact of the 2026 World Cup, the data points to cautious but resilient optimism. Joining us is Arun Menon, Managing Director of Ipsos Malaysia, to help separate sentiment from reality and explain how businesses should respond to shifting expectations, spending behaviour, and emerging risks in a year shaped by hope.

1:00 PM

The Breakfast Grille Repeat

Fozia Amanulla, CEO of Boost Bank Berhad, talks about what makes the digital bank stands out among its peers.

2:05 PM

Discovery Hour

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

3:05 PM

Front Row

Encounter: Anime 2.0 brings iconic anime music to life with a full symphony orchestra. Producer Alvin Ong and conductor Justin Lai tell us what audiences can expect.

3:25 PM

Front Row

God’s Waiting Room is a tender look at ageing and connection. Writer-director Joe Hasham and actor Faridah Merican discuss storytelling, partnership, and creativity later in life.

4:05 PM

Health & Living

We’ve been fighting an uphill battle against super gonorrhoea, a drug-resistant infection, but we finally have new antibiotics that could work against this infection. Tune in to find out why this matters.

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

Popcorn Culture

We review Train Dreams and The Voice of Hind Rajab.

7:00 PM

Just For Kicks

It's a baptism of fire for new Manchester United interim manager Michael Carrick as his side welcome Man City at Old Trafford. We preview this match, and other fixtures on Matchweek 22 of the EPL.

8:00 PM

Bar None

We review the recent Malaysia Open 2026 and look back at our shuttlers' performances throughout 2025.

9:00 PM

The Selector

Covering all styles of music from indie, dubstep, folk, soul, electro and everything in between from some of the most exciting artists in the UK.