A plot of land once belonging to Zoo Negara was once classified as recreational space. But now, under the newly gazetted Majlis Perbandaran Ampang Jaya Plan, it has been sold to a private company and reclassified for ‘commercial’ use. As this deal was done without public consultation, NGOs have called for more clarity on the buyer's real intentions for the land. We speak to Salina Hussein, member of the AJ Rimba Collective about the need to protect this environmentally sensitive area from commercial exploitation.

Other stories we covered:

• Support provided for SMK Bandar Utama students: Following the fatal stabbing incident at SMK Bandar Utama Damansara 4, the Ministry of Education has deployed trained mental health professionals to provide psychosocial support to students and teachers. But are these measures enough in the long term? To help us unpack this, we hear from clinical psychologist Sarah Zehan.

• Budget 2026 allocations for historial landmark conservation: The RM600 million allocation will go towards conservation works for Carcosa Seri Negara and six blocks within the Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad, among other sites. Opposition MPs view the allocation as wasteful, and suggest privatising these heritage sites instead. For thoughts on if the allocation is significant, we hear from Lim Wei-Ling, President of Badan Warisan Malaysia.

• Baba Nyonya identity recognised on birth certificates: This move will acknowledge the community as a distinct sub-ethnic group within the Chinese population. To learn more about the significance of this recognition and how the screening process works, we speak to Datuk Ronald Gan, chairman of the Baba and Nyonya Association of Malaysia.

• Singaporean fresh grad feels the weight of unemployment: The story of an engineering student struggling to find work months after finishing university caught the attention of social media users, after he said his degree didn't feel 'marketable' even jokingly likening himself to an arts graduate. We break down his concerns and discuss the expectations undergraduates have about the job market.

This BFM Budget 2026 Special is brought to you by Mah Sing — Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

Produced by: Juliet Jacobs, Sneha Harikannan, Lim Sue Ann, Sudais Ferhard, Susan Tam

Presented by: Lee Chwi Lynn, Susan Tam

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Categories:  government,  education,  controversies,  History/Heritage

Tags:  Stabbing,  Budget2026,  Belanjawan 2026,  Budget-2026-Mahsing,  baba nyonya,  job market,  fresh graduate,