The government is studying whether Kuala Lumpur should elect a mayor instead of councillors, amid governance concerns at City Hall and political pushback from UMNO. We discuss what having a mayoral election would mean to KL, with political scientist Wong Chin Huat of Sunway University (Starts at 22.46)

• New armed forces chief amid scandal: Malaysia has appointed Datuk Malek Razak Sulaiman as the new Chief of Defence Force, succeeding General Tan Sri Mohamad Nizam Jaffar who faces corruption charges. Defence analyst Dr Lam Choong Wah of University Malaya weighs in on whether Malek’s leadership can restore public trust and withstand scrutiny in light of ongoing procurement scandals. (Starts at 17.31)

• Epstein files flood the internet: The U.S. Justice Department has released millions of Jeffrey Epstein records, revealing emails with global elites and sparking controversy over redacted victim details. With half the files still withheld despite legal deadlines, questions mount about what remains hidden. We get into it. (Starts at 11.46)

• UM students protest disciplinary fines: Universiti Malaya students staged a sit-in against new disciplinary policies imposing fines up to RM500 and potential graduation bans for repeat offences. We speak to Liga Mahasiswa Malaysia president Alyaah Hani Anuar, who explained why the measures are seen as punitive and why student groups demand a full cancellation despite UM’s postponement. (Starts at 7.26)

• Trevi Fountain now ticketed: Rome has introduced a €2 fee for non-residents to access the Trevi Fountain, aiming to control crowds of up to 70,000 daily while raising millions for upkeep. Despite barriers and ticketing, some tourists are already finding ways around the system. (Starts at 0.22)

Image Credit: Pexels

Produced by: Alia Zefri, Sharaad Kuttan, Sneha Harikannan, Sudais Ferhard, Tee Shiao Eek

Presented by: Lee Chwi Lynn, Sharaad Kuttan

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Categories:  politics,  government,  international,  controversies,  corruption,  education,  travel,  culture,  History/Heritage

Tags:  kl mayoral elections,  Datuk Seri Dr Maimunah Sharif,  Jeffrey epstein,  student protests,  rome,  europe,