BFM 89.9

HIGHLIGHTS 
Podcast  >  Evening Edition  >  Top 5 At 5  >  Top 5 at 5: US-Russia Talks Begin Without Ukraine

Top 5 at 5: US-Russia Talks Begin Without Ukraine

Benjamin Barton, Head of School of Politics and International Relations, University of Nottingham Malaysia

18-Feb-25 17:00

Top 5 at 5: US-Russia Talks Begin Without Ukraine

US-Russia peace talks have started in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Neither Ukraine or Europe have been invited to the these talks, which has left EU leaders in a state of panic. They have said that this puts regional security and stability at risk. We unpack this with Benjamin Barton.

• Malaysian man on death row in Singapore: Pannir Selvam, a Malaysian man convicted in Singaporean court for trafficking 51.84 grams of diamorphone, is set to be executed this Thursday. Pannir's former lawyer, as well as civil society groups are saying that the only recourse now is for the Malaysian government to file an application at the International Court of Justice. We revisit a Bigger Picture interview from earlier, where they discussed this case with Dobby Chew, CEO of Hayat.

• Calls to rethink migrant worker's EPF scheme: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim recently said that the EPF contributions for foreign workers is to be capped at 2%. NGO Tenaganita said this move would further marginalise foreign workers, and has suggesed the government consider a tiered EPF contribution system instead. It's executive director, Glorene Das, joins us to explain.

• Cat parks set to be the purr-fect playground: A new cat park called Catopia was officially unveiled in Shah Alam recently. This isn't the first of its kind, though there have been some in the past that have not been successful. We reached out to Ai Ling, a member of the Allergic Rescuers KL, an independent cat rescue group.

• Popek Popek Parlimen: One of the topics explored today was on Malaysia's efforts to independently launch its own satellites into space. Then, the MPs brought it back to the ground, with a discussion on the companies selected for vehicle inspection services, after the government's decision to end the monopoly of the Computerised Vehicle Inspection Centre.

Image Credit: shutterstock.com

Produced by: Sudais Ferhard, Alia Zefri, Dashran Yohan, Sneha Harikannan, Tee Shiao Eek

Presented by: Sharaad Kuttan, Kam Raslan


This and more than 60,000 other podcasts in your hand. Download the all new BFM mobile app.

Categories:  politicsgovernmentinternationalLaw/Activismenvironmentcontroversieseducation

Tags:  ukraine peace talksdeath row casemigrant worker rightscat parksmalaysian satellitesComputerised Vehicle Inspection CentreRussia-Ukraine conflictpannir selvam pranthanamepf contributiontenaganitapopek popek parlimen





Play / Pause

Listen now : The 6AM Stretch: Thought-provoking discussions on ideas, people and events shaping our...

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

Our expert 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

We break down the day’s top news with expert insights.

7:45 AM

Morning Brief

We break down the day’s top news with expert insights.

8:00 AM

The Breakfast Grille

Our flagship show, we feature both game-changers and groundbreakers in the hot seat.

8:30 AM

Morning Brief

We break down the day’s top news with expert insights.

8:45 AM

Morning Brief

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

9:00 AM

Opening Bell

(REPEAT) We bring you the latest on Bursa Malaysia and international capital markets.

9:15 AM

Opening Bell

(REPEAT) We take a look at the FBM KLCI as well as regional capital markets.

9:35 AM

Ringgit & Sense

We help you build financial literacy and level up your personal planning.

10:05 AM

Open For Business

How $10M Will Drive iMotorbike's Regional Expansion & the Future of Used Motorcycles

11:00 AM

Tech Talk

12:00 PM

Enterprise Explores

1:00 PM

The Breakfast Grille Repeat

Our flagship show, we feature both game-changers and groundbreakers in the hot seat.

2:05 PM

Discovery Hour

3:05 PM

Beyond the Ballot Box

Parliament has approved mandatory EPF contributions for migrant workers. We ask activists if this is a win for labour rights in Malaysia.

4:05 PM

Health & Living

One in three school-aged children in Malaysia is overweight or obese. We tackle the complexities of treating childhood obesity and explore public health strategies for prevention.

5:00 PM

Top 5 at 5

6:00 PM

Talkback Thursday

8:00 PM

BBC World Service