Yesterday over 3,000 people gathered in various parts of Sabah to demand justice for 13-year old Zara Qairina and for transparency regarding the investigation. We talk to Samsuri Baharuddin, organiser of the Lahad Datu gathering and member of Borneo Eyes of People about the aims of the protest, response from politicians and their plans to ensure improved safety for students in residential schools.

Other stories we covered:

• EIA raises concerns about deforestation plan: An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has brought attention to a plan to clear and log 1,200 hectares of forest in Pahang’s Tersang Forest Reserve. With the project bringing up several environmental concerns, we speak to forest researcher Lim Teckwyn about how this project fits into the existing national moratorium on new forest plantations.
• Are locals in competition with Chinese nationals for university spots?: Arguments about whether international students from China are taking up university placements from locals have been circulating between ministers. We speak to Dr Koh Sin Yee, Senior Assistant Professor in Asian Migration, Mobility and Diaspora at the Institute of Asian Studies of Universiti Brunei Darussalam, about these claims.
• Mo Salah calls out UEFA: After Palestinian footballer Suleiman Al-Obeid was killed by an Israeli airstrike, the UEFA tweeted a passive farewell, prompting Liverpool FC’s Mo Salah to call them out, asking how he died and who was responsible. We speak to James Dorsey, Adjunct Senior Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies for his thoughts on the media omissions regarding the Palestinian genocide.
• Public outrage over topsy-turvy flag: 59-year old shop keeper Feng Jin Zhen was arrested on Saturday night in Penang after a video of him carrying a metal pole with the Jalur Gemilang upside down went viral on Facebook. We discuss the backlash, neighbourhood loyalty, and patriotism in regards to the situation.

Image Credit: Sandakan MP Vivian Wong's Facebook

Produced by: Alia Zefri, Juliet Jacobs, Sudais Ferhard, Dashran Yohan, Sneha Harikannan

Presented by: Sharaad Kuttan, Dashran Yohan

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Categories:  controversies,  sports,  international,  politics,  government,  Law/Activism,  environment,  education

Tags:  malaysia,  flag,  patriotism,  mo salah,  uefa,  palestine,  universities,  chinese,  international students,  eia,  deforestation,  pahang,  zara qairina,  sabah,  protests,