BFM is a 24 hr independent radio station based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia focused on business news and current affairs. Core programs include business news, market reports from Malaysia and other regions and interviews with various business personalities.
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We're committed to making your podcast experience the best it can be. Our shows are now available as individual podcasts, including The Breakfast Grille and Ringgit & Sense. Follow them on this platform for the ultimate listening experience.
3/20/2023 • 39 seconds
POTP Epi481: Hits From The 60s to 80s
Patrick Teoh takes you on another foot-stomping, hand-clapping ride down memory lane as he blows dust off his vinyl collection to bring you a selection of hits from the 60s to 80s.
2/18/2023 • 1 hour, 46 minutes, 4 seconds
EP57: De La Soul's 3 Feet High & Rising
De La Soul's debut release, 3 Feet High & Rising is one that was an oddity when it dropped. The world of hip-hop in the late 80s was pretty much in the gangsta boom - with groups like NWA & Public Enemy dominating the charts with their hardcore, confrontational & sometimes violent lyrics. 3 Feet introduced the use of funky, quirky and eclectic sampling to invoke unfiltered fun. A landmark release for the genre, this week on the program we go Track By Track into that seminal album.
2/17/2023 • 53 minutes, 3 seconds
The Rise of the Deinfluencer
Kam, returning after recovering from his second Covid-19 infection, decides to talk about his experience losing his sense of taste in this episode, and how that experience changes his understanding and appreciation of food. But before that, Ong Kar Jin talks about the novelties of time capsules, after reading an article about a letter that was only delivered 100 years later to its intended address. In the second part of the show, futurist Matt Armitage looks at the rise of the deinfluencer, the antithesis to influencer, and what they’re supposed to represent.
2/17/2023 • 43 minutes, 42 seconds
Master vs Apprentice - Round 2 - Advantage Man City
Man City came away from Emirates Stadium with three valuable points in a highly exciting encounter between the title holders and the title contenders, Arsenal. Can Arsenal pick up the pieces and rediscover their scintillating form again? Aston Villa, managed by former Gunners manager, Unai Emery awaits this weekend in the Premier League. The pundits look ahead to this match and other matches, as well as review the midweek European action, including that epic 2-2 draw between Barcelona and Manchester United, only on Just For Kicks!
2/17/2023 • 51 minutes, 35 seconds
Traffic Jams, Bad Roads And Frustrated Drivers
A new report has found that Malaysians lost 159 hours last year on the road during peak hours. To explore this, first we looked back at a previous interview with Dr Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah, Professor of Transport Engineering from Universiti Sains Malaysia. Then, we also hear from experts, including: - Professor Dr Muhammad Zaly Shah, Professor of Transportation and Logistics at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia - Aziff Azuddin, Independent Urban Mobility Researcher - Bernard Chong, Transport Activist, TransitMalaysiaAnd of course, we had to ask our listeners about their driving experiences and woes as well (alongside asking for possible solutions).Image Credit: Asia Travel, Shutterstock.com
2/17/2023 • 1 hour, 5 minutes, 4 seconds
Today On Twitter: The Crows Are Coming
Crows are attacking Singaporeans. We get into it.Image Credit: Shutterstock
2/17/2023 • 13 minutes, 31 seconds
Are Schools Good Enough For Our Students? I Big Brain Energy EP 3 | Chan Soon Seng
What do you remember the most about schools? For many Malaysians, it was memorising textbooks days before exams, getting punished for not finishing homework and squeezing in tuition classes after long school hours.Our education system is far from perfect, with severely exhausted teachers and stressed out students remaining as constant fixtures.In the final episode of Big Brain Energy, CEO of Teach For Malaysia, Chan Soon Seng, sheds light on the flaws in the system and shares how change is within reach. Watch the full discussion and find out from the Merdeka Award Trust Secretariat on how you can apply for a fully sponsored 3-month attachment at a renowned international institution, thanks to the Merdeka Award Trust.Presented in collaboration with the Merdeka Award Trust. Click here to learn more about their ongoing International Attachment programme!
2/17/2023 • 51 minutes, 50 seconds
On Imposing Your Religious Beliefs Onto Others
A teacher was accused of encouraging a Form Three student at a school in KL to embrace Islam, claiming that it would boost his chances of becoming a national footballer. We discuss the line between personal beliefs and respecting others.
Doctor in the House: Malaysians Like It Salty (But We Shouldn’t)
It’s no secret that Malaysians love food, and maybe we also love the salt in our food, a little too much. But just how much salt are we consuming, and if we’re over the limit, how do we cut down on salt without compromising on taste? And is it really so bad to have that little bit more salt in our food? Prof Datin Dr Chia Yook Chin, founder and president of the Malaysian Society for World Action on Salt, Sugar and Health joins consultant urologist Dr George Lee to share some tips and why it is important for us to watch what we eat.Image credit: Shutterstock
2/17/2023 • 48 minutes, 30 seconds
Miko Peled: Former Zionist Military Man, Now Palestinian Rights Activist
Miko Peled grew up in a prominent Zionist family who helped establish the State of Israel. His grandfather signed Israel’s Declaration of Independence. Miko even served in the Israeli military for a short period of time. However, a personal tragedy drove Miko to explore the truth about Palestine. What he discovered shocked him and woke him up. Today, Miko is a prominent human rights activist fighting for peace and justice for Palestine. In 2012, Miko wrote a book called ‘The General’s Son: Journey of an Israeli in Palestine.’ Miko also has a podcast where he talks about fighting for justice for Palestine.
2/17/2023 • 35 minutes, 59 seconds
Touch Me Hold Me Let Me Go
Described as a lecture which turns into a workshop which turns into a performance, Touch Me Hold Me Let Me Go will be led by Lee Su-Feh, a performance maker, educator and writer who has spent the last 40 years exploring the human body as a site of intersecting habits and histories. This gathering invites the audience to listen, experience and participate with their bodies and voices, with Su-Feh sharing her Touch Me Hold Me Let Me Go algorithm, and ways to use it. We speak to Su-Feh and also dance artist Lee Ren Xin, who is producing Su-Feh's workshop and lecture performance, to find out more. Image credit: Five Arts Centre Malaysia
2/17/2023 • 25 minutes, 36 seconds
A Notional History
In A Notional History, a performer, a journalist, and an activist pore through school textbooks, inherited memories, and video interviews of exiled revolutionaries – uncovering erasures, exclusions and questions around the Malayan Emergency. Part of a series of works known as the Emergency Projects which examines that era in our history, the performers investigate and speculate on the possible histories for a different Malaysia, intersecting the personal, the national, and the notional. We discuss the documentary performance with documentary filmmaker and performer Rahmah Pauzi, and A Notional History's director Mark Teh of Five Arts Centre Malaysia, to discuss how the team are relooking into our history in imaginative and speculative ways. Image Credit: George Town Festival
2/17/2023 • 24 minutes, 33 seconds
Is ChatGPT A Teaching Tool Or An Enemy?
Academias have always been split about using tech innovations in the classroom - we all remember the debate years ago about using laptops or smartphones during lessons. But technology is always evolving, and now with ChatGPT in place, should academias adapt or resist? And how can they combat plagiarism among students who love the technology?We speak to Professor Chengyi Lin, Affiliate Professor of Strategy at INSEAD to learn more.Photo Credit: Shuttershock | Iryna Imago
2/17/2023 • 35 minutes, 30 seconds
MSP238 Weird Science: The One With The Aliens And Neanderthals.
Bingbots, algo-cheating, taped-up batteries, aliens and Neanderthals are just some of the topics Mattsplained is weirding out with todayPhoto Credit: Kulturpop | MidJourney
2/17/2023 • 35 minutes, 22 seconds
Supercharging SEO With AI
We’re all familiar with the different scenarios of how AI has played a role in our lives. NexMind.AI decided to take it one step further by integrating AI Machine Learning into their Search Engine Optimisation software. With a goal to create smarter search robots known as SEO automation software, NexMind.AI provides an enterprise SEO platform that can help brands boost their presence and visibility on the internet. We speak to Francis Lui, founder and CEO of NexMind.AI on how they are leveraging the power of AI to boost their service offerings.Photo Credit: Shuttershock | MaximP
2/17/2023 • 19 minutes, 31 seconds
WTF: Petronas & Lynas In The Spotlight
The Morning Run crew condenses the top conversations from the week, and keeps you clued in on the stories you might have missed. In this episode, we discuss the controversial appointment and resignation of World Bank President David Malpass; why Petronas and Lynas have been making headlines; and why arguments for EPF withdrawals continue to be put forth.
2/17/2023 • 20 minutes, 56 seconds
Can We Right Size Malaysia's Civil Service?
As Malaysia's national debt including liabilities has reached 1.5 trillion ringgit, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s administration has set their eyes on reducing opex and expanding revenue. And one elephant in the room that cannot be ignored would be the size of civil service, their emoluments and pensions. So as reduction of fiscal deficit takes priority, how should we relook at the size of civil service in Malaysia? For answers, we speak to Dr Tricia Yeoh, CEO, IDEAS.Image credit: Shutterstock
2/17/2023 • 14 minutes, 37 seconds
Global Solidarity To Türkiye Over Earthquake
Tragedy struck Türkiye early last week as a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck southern and central Türkiye which has seen over 35,000 deaths so far. It is one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded in the Levant and the deadliest earthquake worldwide since the 2010 Haiti earthquake and was felt as far as Egypt, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Cyprus, and the Black Sea. Estimated to have caused over US$ 84 billion worth of damage, we speak to His Excellency Emir Salim Yüksel, Türkiye’s Ambassador to Malaysia to discuss the tragedy, how Malaysians can help and the future of Malaysia-Türkiye bilateral ties.
2/17/2023 • 23 minutes, 39 seconds
Children In Immigration Detention Camps Demands Urgent Action
There are international laws governing how children should be held in detention by governments. Is Malaysia abiding by these laws and how can we ensure the protection of children being held in state detention? We discuss this issue with child rights activist Dr. Hartini Zainuddin, Co-Founder of Yayasan Chow Kit.Image credit: Shutterstock
2/16/2023 • 10 minutes, 48 seconds
SEA Caught In The Middle
The 2023 State of Southeast Asia report was issued last week, shedding light on how the rivalry between the US and China is seen from the perspective of those caught in the middle. How have the developments of the past year affected how those in Southeast Asia view the power competition, and the effectiveness of ASEAN as a multilateral bloc to navigate the dynamics? Sharon Seah of the ISEAS Yusof-Ishak Institute shares insights from the report.Image credit: Thapakorn Hemgo
2/16/2023 • 11 minutes, 33 seconds
What Are The Key Risks For Markets Still?
For 2023, equities have generally been on an uptrend driven by better earnings delivery from companies and better than expected economic data. However, recent data on inflation, employment and the producers price index have spooked markets. Recently St Louis Fed President James Bullard alluded to a possible 50bp increase in rates at the next meeting. What will this mean for global equities and bonds? For insights, we speak to Yeap Jun Rong, Market Strategist, IG International.Image credit: Shutterstock
2/16/2023 • 12 minutes, 30 seconds
EP57: De La Soul
In light of the passing of rapper & De La Soul co-founder David Jude Jolicoeur aka Trugoy The Dove, we go Back To Back into alt hip-hop group's essential tracks - exploring & telling the stories of some of their hits, which marked a new era of hip-hop in the 90s. Stakes Is High (Stakes Is High)Baby Phat (AOI: Bionix)Gorillaz - Feel Good IncMemory Of Us (ft. Estelle)Brakes (Stakes Is High) A Roller Skating Jam Named "Saturdays" (ft Q-Tip & Vinia Mojica) (De La Soul Is Dead)DJ Shadow - Rocket FuelRock Co.Kane Flow (ft. MF DOOM) (The Grind Date)God It (ft Nas)Breakadawn (Buhloone Mindstate)
2/16/2023 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Rethinking Smart Cities
In this episode of I Love KL, we unpack the definition of smart cities and whether we should think of them solely from a more technocentric point of view, or a more all-encompassing perspective that prioritises the welfare of the cities’ residents. Rahmat Bayudi, Vice President of Pereka Bandar helps us get there.
2/16/2023 • 32 minutes, 8 seconds
Popcorn Culture - Supercut: Steven Spielberg
Whether you enjoy movie monsters, action adventures, sci fi thrillers, historical dramas, or war epics, chances are at least one Steven Spielberg movie will count amongst your list of favourites. An incredibly prolific filmmaker with a five-decade long career, Spielberg has given us some of the biggest, most beloved blockbusters of all time - ET, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones, take your pick! - and influenced a whole generation of filmmaking. In this Supercut, we look at his style of filmmaking, our favourite Spielberg movies, and why, despite his incredible success, he's often viewed as being more crowd-pleasing than accomplished.
2/16/2023 • 1 hour, 12 minutes, 15 seconds
Will You Move Back To Live And Work In Your Hometown?
Rural and Development Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi talking about the trend of remigration, or, people choosing to return to their rural hometowns to work. First, we explored that idea and talked about what needs to be in place to support this. Then, we heard what our listeners had to say about this.Image Credit: Shutterstock
2/16/2023 • 1 hour, 1 minute, 41 seconds
Popek Popek Parlimen: No More EPF Withdrawals
Parliament continues, with MPs discussing initiatives by the government to assist rural communities affected by the floods, harsher punishments for those who pollute waterways, job scams as well as EPF withdrawals.Image Credit: Shutterstock
Healthy Ageing: Is It Inevitable That You Lose Muscle As You Age?
The human body changes physiologically as you age, and that includes your muscles. But why do some older adults tend to lose muscle strength, while others don’t? And how can we maintain good muscle health as we age? On this episode of Healthy Ageing, consultant geriatrician Dr Terence Ong weighs in on why we should talk about sarcopenia and whether it is inevitable that we will lose our muscles as we age.Image Credit: Shutterstock
2/16/2023 • 35 minutes, 45 seconds
Constituency Development Funds Slashed: Why it Matters
Recently, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that the government will be slashing constituency development funds from RM 3.8 million per constituency to RM 1.3 million. Anwar said the move is meant to better control the country’s finances and would be implemented in stages. But is this a good move? We speak to political scientist, Dr Bridget Welsh.Image Credit: Shutterstock
Teaching the Kelabit Language Through Children’s Books
Picture books play a vital role in teaching children new words and language, eventually shaping their interest in the written and spoken word. A recently published set of children’s books aims to do just that for the Kelabit language, by being the first-of-its-kind bilingual Kelabit-English books. Here to tell us more about this project is the project lead and one of the authors of the books, Sarah Lois Dorai. Sarah also shares more about spotlighting Kelabit culture through her filmmaking work. You can order the books from Sceptre Seven Press on Instagram.
2/16/2023 • 36 minutes, 44 seconds
What Entrepreneurs Should Know About Life After IPO
Farm Fresh’s Loi Tuan Ee talks to us about how an entrepreneur's life changes after IPO, buying Inside Scoop, and ensuring that Farm Fresh does not “lose its soul”.We also get into:-Managing the pressures that come with leading a public listed company-How Endeavour has played a positive role in his entrepreneurial journey-Why entrepreneurs need tough love, not ‘Yes People’
2/16/2023 • 35 minutes, 16 seconds
Digitally Saify
With his recent appointment to CEO at Pertama Digital, Saify brings with him a multitude of experience in the tech business space. He has built and expanded technology enterprises around the globe, beginning with Uber's entry into Malaysia's market in 2014 and GrabCar's entry into Malaysia's market in 2015. We discuss the Malaysian tech-space – what we have and don’t have, and how to fill in the gaps, Neobanking, and trending tech topics
2/16/2023 • 24 minutes, 7 seconds
Sausage Sizzle
There are plenty of food options available in Malaysia, and we’re often lauded with just how good our food options are. And there are some foods that are an institution here in Malaysia – Nasi Lemak, and even the humble Ramly burger. Nazri and his team at Sausage Sizzle have started to introduce something that isn’t exactly Malaysian, but does have a familiar roadside setting. They produce a premium hotdog experience at a reasonable price. But how can they compete with the greats?
A recent finding by UCSI showed that more than 70% of Malaysian youths are in debt with factors such as financial constraint, inflation and luxurious lifestyle being the main drivers. The issue of our youth falling in debt has been a long standing issue that seems to be growing year by year. What can be done about it and why are they falling into such perils? Nirmala Supramaniam of AKPK shares her thoughts on this episode of Ringgit and Sense. Image credit: Shutterstock
2/16/2023 • 22 minutes, 35 seconds
BOJ Playing Monetary Policy Jenga
The Japanese economy averted recession in the fourth quarter of 2022, expanding by an annualised 0.6%, but this was much smaller than the median forecast of 2% GDP growth. The latest data point to the challenge for incoming Bank of Japan governor, Kazuo Ueda, in normalising the bank’s ultra-loose policy without derailing the fragile economic recovery. What options does the Japanese central bank and government have to navigate the delicate policy tightrope? Tokyo-based journalist William Pesek shares his insights.Image credit: Saranya Phu akat
2/16/2023 • 12 minutes, 30 seconds
Can Doctor Anywhere Spread Its Wings Beyond Asia?
Feeling sick but don't want to visit a Doctor physically or want to schedule an appointment but can't get through the busy lines? Doctor Anywhere is a tech-enabled, omni-channel healthcare service provider in Asia, on a mission to make healthcare simple, accessible, and efficient for everyone. Since its launch in 2017, it has grown exponentially to serve more than 1.5 million users across Southeast Asia. It was ranked #3 of 100 in the fastest-growing companies in Singapore. We speak to Lim Wai Mun, founder and CEO of Doctor Anywhere.
2/16/2023 • 24 minutes, 31 seconds
Malaysian Defense Suffering From Underinvestment
The Minister of Defence Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan has warned of a leaner budget for military services this year, after taking into account lower government revenue. But with rising geopolitical tensions, is this the time to trim allocation for the country's defence sector? Defence analyst Ridzwan Rahmat discusses the implications for Malaysia's security apparatus.Image credit: Shutterstock
2/15/2023 • 11 minutes, 34 seconds
Is Listing Petronas The Solution To Malaysia's Debt Woes?
The government’s debts and liabilities currently stand at a record RM1.5 trillion ringgit, or 82% of GDP according to Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Anwar Ibrahim. Wong Chen, MP for Subang has suggested that we list the national oil & gas company, Petronas. We speak to him for the thinking behind this suggestion and what could potentially be the pitfalls.Image credit: Shutterstock
2/15/2023 • 13 minutes, 54 seconds
Should The Fed Have Gone For 50bp?
US retail sales in January jumped the most in 2 years and homebuilder sentiment rose in February by most since 2020 whilst US inflation rose by 0.5%. Should the Fed have been more aggressive and gone for a 50bp at the last meeting? Also Cisco's recent results beat expectations and is this a good indicator of strong spending on tech infrastructure and the revival of old tech? We speak to Tony Nash, CEO, Complete Intelligence.Image credit: Shutterstock
2/15/2023 • 13 minutes, 7 seconds
By The Way: RIP David Jolicoeur, Youtube's Music Licensing Resource, Megadeth's Reunion and 2022's Top Earning Artists
By The Way is a rapid-fire segment that gives you a snapshot of developing stories in the music world. This week, stories on the death De La Soul's David Jolicoeur, Youtube's music licensing resource called Creator Music, Megadeth's reunion with Marty Friedman and Forbes 2022's top earning artists
2/15/2023 • 5 minutes, 10 seconds
Pulse Picks: Move 78, Oddisee, Kelela & MJ Cole
The Pulse brings you the latest news in the music world and fresh new music that might've missed your radar.--Move 78 - Hal Wandered OffKelela - On The RunYellow Days - Soul Smilebdrmm - It’s Just A Bit Of BloodOddisee - RaceHarvey Sutherland - ChangesMJ Cole - Feel It (ft Piri and Tommy Villiers)Chaos In The CBD - Higher Elevation
2/15/2023 • 36 minutes, 46 seconds
BYD's Electrified Comfort
This week on Cruise Control, we look forward to the digitalization of JPJ (finally!), review yet another electric SUV, and welcome a slew of new cars to the local automotive market.Perodua's all new Axia is now out, and the company has high hopes that the compact hatchback will do well in the markets this year. Range Rover's classic luxury SUV, the L460 is another fresh drop, as well as Audi's flagship electric supercar, the e-Tron GT Super Tourer all available for booking. Sniffing around the rumour mill, we hear that the popular Suzuki Jimny might get a Malaysian release as well. The new model for the cute and compact SUV now comes with 5 doors! We also discuss a hot news item this week: JPJ is set to do away with road-tax stickers and go fully digital this year. Well played Anthony Loke! And we round off the programme with Daniel's impression of a Chinese EV making waves in the local market, BYD's Atto 3.
2/15/2023 • 34 minutes, 29 seconds
Popcorn Culture - Review: The Fabelmans
Directed by Steven Spielberg, The Fabelmans is a semi-autobiographical movie inspired by Spielberg's own adolescence and how he fell in love with filmmaking. In the movie, the fictional Sammy Fabelman (Gabriel LaBelle), discovers the power of cinema alongside uncovering difficult truths about his family. The film also stars Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, and Seth Rogen. We review the "film about films", and discuss how it gives us an intimate look at one of the best-known filmmakers of our time.
2/15/2023 • 21 minutes, 44 seconds
The Latest AI Boom: How It Will Change Us
With all the latest news on Artificial Intelligence and ChatGPT lately, we talk about how it will affect our world. First, we look into which industries are most likely to feel the impact from AI, whether positive or negative. And then, we discuss how artificial intelligence will change our society. We hear thoughts from industry experts:- Adam Brimo, Founder & Group CEO of OpenLearning Limited - Danial Rahman, Director of Sunway Education Group.Image Credit: Chuan Chuan, Shutterstock
2/15/2023 • 57 minutes, 33 seconds
Today On Twitter: The Worst Job You’ve Ever Had
What’s the worst job you’ve ever had? We get into itImage Credit: Shutterstock
2/15/2023 • 11 minutes, 1 second
Popek Popek Parlimen: Paying Interns In The Private Sector
Parliament continues, and today, the MPs touched on a variety of issues including how to make it easier to hire foreign workers, the longstanding issue of overcrowding, whether interns should be paid in the private sector as well as reimigration.Image Credit: Shutterstock
2/15/2023 • 27 minutes, 3 seconds
Ladies, Pain During Sex Is Not Normal
Is pain during sex common, especially for women? In a society where sexual health is still a taboo topic, questions like these aren’t always asked and answered, even though they could be a sign of a more serious health condition. Consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Hoo Mei Lin joins us to shed more light on this and break some taboos along the way. Click here to find out more about the Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society of Malaysia’s women’s health event. Image Credit: Shutterstock
2/15/2023 • 31 minutes, 3 seconds
通膨高企、战争犹存 新加坡预算案建立经济保护网
新加坡副总理兼财政部长黄循财在昨天下午的财政预算案直播当中,送给当地的民众一份“情人节礼物”,里面当然涉及很多糖果,譬如说:预计收入不超过2万2000新币的民众,可获得400元补助,而受惠人数大约是250万人。另外,其他部分细节的补助也是有非常多的。 纵观整份的预算案有分成三个基础,分别是推动经济增长,加强社会契约,还有建立经济的韧性,让新加坡在遭受外部冲击和挫折时能够反弹、恢复元气。尤其是在当前地缘政治局势已经明显改变,大国政治竞争加剧,对全球有深刻影响,很多国家可能也不会像以前一样,对新加坡这么友善。究竟你对这份预算案有什么看法呢?收听本期节目让我们一起来讨论。 Image Credit: The business Times
On the 9th of February, an investigation committee of the National Sports Council (NSC) and Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC), with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, made the decision to suspend a national hockey player, Hanis Nadiah Onn. The decision was made following Hanis’ disgusting racist comment about the recent AR Rahman concert. Basically, she said that the concert, which was jam-packed with ethnic Indians, must smell really bad. Separately, a teacher has been accused of encouraging a form three student at a school in Kuala Lumpur to embrace Islam, claiming it would boost his chances of becoming a national footballer. These are just a couple of examples of discrimination happening in schools and sports. But just how well are the relevant authorities addressing this issue? And what needs to be done to prevent these instances from happening again?Image Credit: Shutterstock
2/15/2023 • 31 minutes, 30 seconds
Can Thai E-Wallet TrueMoney Compete with GrabPay and Touch ‘n Go e-Wallet?
A month ago, a new e-wallet player entered Malaysia - TrueMoney, a Thai unicorn. That said, given that Malaysia already feels like such a crowded market in the cashless payments space, does TrueMoney really have a chance to gain traction here? And if so, how?We speak to Dale Kim, the Managing Director of International Business at TrueMoney’s parent company - Ascend Group, to find out.Among other things, we also get into:-How TrueMoney plans to acquire and retain users-When we can expect TrueMoney to plug into DuitNow-TrueMoney’s partnership with Lotus’s hypermarkets and how it can tap into other Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group assets to expand.-Whether TrueMoney’s entry into Malaysia is an entry point for other CP Group businesses.Photo Credit: Shutterstock | Prostock-studio
2/15/2023 • 29 minutes
New Female Force in Gaming
Currently, there are more opportunities to engage in games, more strong female leads in video games, and most crucially, more strong female leads in the gaming industry. Although there has been a noticeable increase in the number of women, it is also obvious that this business is still dominated by men. In addition, the bulk of the more well-known faces in gaming are male. Sophie Azlan, a young female game designer who has only 2 years in the game industry, was inducted into The Game Awards’ Future Class in 2022. We speak to Sophie to hear about her journey and opinion in the game industry.Photo Credit: Shutterstock | Frame Stock Footage
2/15/2023 • 20 minutes, 25 seconds
Blackpanda - Taking Special Forces Level Security Digital
The need for cybersecurity has never been greater. Technology is everywhere and whether the digitisation of society is good, bad, or ugly, what is indisputable is that we are incredibly reliant on tech. According to research and advisory company Forrester, 68% of enterprises in Asia suffered from at least one security breach in 2021. While this is an incredibly scary problem, it’s also a giant opportunity that Singapore-based cybersecurity firm Blackpanda is looking to tap intoPhoto Credit: Digital News Asia
2/15/2023 • 40 minutes
ANBO Candle 用蜂蜡打造跟蜂蜜一样甜的香薰蜡
2023 情人节特备节目 ② 有别于常见的石蜡(Paraffin)、豆蜡(Soy Wax);蜂蜡(Beeswax)成为了 ANBO Candle 的卖点之一。在情人节翌日,我们请来为生活增添情调的蜂蜡香薰蜡品牌,来听听他们究竟何故,在冠病疫情失业后会相中香薰蜡产业。在生活步调紧凑的时代,消费者要如何用最个人的香气,享受最亲近的一抹恬静呢?
2/15/2023 • 26 minutes, 11 seconds
Widening Property Inequality Is Not Just About The Money.
Khazanah released a report on Residential Settlements and Spatial Inequality: A Study of Greater Kuala Lumpur Neighbourhoods. The gist of the report is the widening inequality from not just a monetary standpoint but to other concepts of well-being associated with the various types of “freedom and function" that one might have access to. We speak to Dr Suraya Ismail, Director of Research at Khazanah Research Institute.Image credit: Shutterstock
2/15/2023 • 21 minutes, 45 seconds
ESG Diamonds To Pick
RHB Research released an interesting regional report recently which was titled ‘ESG Diamonds in the Rough’, where the best companies that met the criteria based on ROEs, low gearing levels, cheaper valuations vs peers and a credible ESG score above the country's median were picked. Alexander Chia, Regional Head of Regional Equity Research, RHB Investment Bank helps us understand the methodology and what are the best picks in Asean.Image credit: Shutterstock
2/15/2023 • 11 minutes, 52 seconds
More Ambitious Education Policies Needed
Minister for Education Fadhlina Siddique is helming a portfolio with enormous economic and social implications. As the academic year draws to a close, we discuss the policy signals so far from the government and priority areas that should be considered with Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim of PAGE.Image credit: Shutterstock
2/15/2023 • 13 minutes, 40 seconds
Barry Callebaut: Cocoa-tiously Optimistic Growth
Switzerland-based Barry Callebaut is the world's biggest chocolate producer making supplying 1,000 tonnes of chocolate a day to companies like Nestlé, Hershey's, Leonidas and Neuhaus. But chocolate's raw material is cocoa which is mainly sourced from countries like Côte d'Ivoire and Mali - places not well-known for their human rights record. Robert Kotuszewski, Managing Director of Barry Callebaut in Malaysia talks to us about walking that balance between ensuring the confection they produce is ethical, sustainable and profitable.
S$104 billion Singaporean dollars - that’s the ticket price of the 2023 Singapore Budget aimed at positioning the city state in an era of great competition. There were several initiatives to alleviate near-term cost-of-living pressures such as an increase subsidies by 3 billion dollars to lower-income households. It also aims to narrow the budget deficit to 0.1% of GDP, from a revised 0.3% gap this year. Will the measures announced be effective in addressing Singapore’s economy and the cost of living issues faced by its people? For answers, we speak to Lee Ju Ye, Economist, Maybank Investment Bank.Image credit: Shutterstock
2/14/2023 • 12 minutes, 6 seconds
Line Drawn For Lynas Licence
The Lynas rare-earth processing plant in Kuantan has had its license renewed for another 3 years, subject to conditions including relocating the “cracking and leaching” facility, which produces radioactive residue out of Malaysia before July 2023. Do these conditions adequately address concerns over health and environmental safety? Mageswari Sangaralingam of Sahabat Alam Malaysia breaks down the Lynas controversy for us.Image credit: T. Schneider
2/14/2023 • 12 minutes, 7 seconds
US Inflation Not Going Away
US CPI rose by 0.5%, highest in 3 months. Will this change the pace of hikes by the Federal Reserve? Carlos Casanova, Senior Economist at UBP tells us his view whilst commenting on the incoming Bank of Japan Governor.Image credit: Shutterstock
2/14/2023 • 12 minutes, 53 seconds
Boom Chicka Wow Wow
Lagu-Lagu Dulu-Dulu returns for Season Two! A music programme focusing on vintage big band and classic swing sounds from the yesteryears. Hosted by the dynamic duo Sean Ghazi & Ida Mariana. Enjoy our Valentine's Day playlist, set to get you in the mood for love. -----Tracklist:Sheila Majid - Getaran JiwaBob Tutupoli - WiduriBroery Marantika - KasihCarefree - Belaian JiwaMan Bai - Kau IlhamkuM. Nasir - Srikandi CintakuJon Bon Jovi - The Moon Represents My HeartAlleycats - Sampaikan SalamSistipsi - Juwita MalamBill Sarangih - Selendang Sutera
2/14/2023 • 47 minutes, 32 seconds
MFL-Astro Deal Championing The Local Game
For the upcoming season of local football, the MFL has teamed up with Astro as they return to be the official broadcaster of MFL’s Liga Malaysia six competitions - which includes the big three, Liga Super, Piala FA, and Piala Malaysia. Also included in the wide-ranging three-year deal is the curtain raiser in the Piala Sumbangsih, MFL Challenge Cup, and MFL Cup. With this comes a large sum of TV money pouring back into the top tier of local football, with clubs getting an injection of funds from this deal - which could mean that long-standing issues like unpaid wages could be eradicated. Joining us to dissect this partnership is twentytwo13's Haresh Deol.
2/14/2023 • 24 minutes, 30 seconds
By the Book: Historical Figures In Fiction
Historical figures have always offered many storytelling avenues, allowing writers to explore not only major events, settings and societies in the past, but also to explore human emotions and fallacies - ultimately, bringing us closer to people from history, who can otherwise feel remote or unrelatable. In this episode, we discuss some of our favourite books about people from history, and also some of the problems of fictionalising troubled, or dark figures like serial killers.
2/14/2023 • 29 minutes, 49 seconds
Popcorn Culture - Review: Pamela, A Love Story
Looking past the blonde bombshell persona, Pamela, A Love Story re-examines and reframes Pamela Anderson's legacy, starting from her beginnings as a small-town girl all the way to her ascent into becoming an international sex symbol. Along the way, the documentary also asks complex questions about fame and how women, in particular, are viewed by the public eye. We review the film and talk about all the praise it's been garnering.
2/14/2023 • 21 minutes, 45 seconds
Love Is In The Air: What Keeps People Happy In Relationships
On our Valentine's Day special, we look at some new data that has emerged, which suggested that Malaysians are, in general, pretty satisfied with their relationships. First we look at the survey and discuss what keeps people happy in their relationships. Then, we talk about how the notion of happiness has shifted over the years, and whether there is a generational difference, especially with technology.Image Credit: Shutterstock
2/14/2023 • 1 hour, 1 minute, 42 seconds
Today On Twitter: Are UFOs Upon Us?
The Pentagon made a statement informing the public that US military fighter jets had shot down an octagonal object over Lake Huron. This comes after an incident where a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon was shot down by US military forces, putting North America security forces on high alert. We get into what Twitter had to say about it.Image Credit: Daniel Gay, Shutterstock
2/14/2023 • 18 minutes, 48 seconds
Popek Popek Parlimen: Episode One In Prime Minister’s Questions
Parliament is back, and this time with a new government. Today, the MPs discussed a variety of issues, including addressing our national debt, Anwar's position as PM and financial minister, and the MACC's strategies to curb corruption.Image Credit: S.O, Shutterstock
2/14/2023 • 19 minutes, 43 seconds
Humans of Healthcare: The Clinical Psychologist
With increasing attention on mental health issues, the role of a psychologist as a healthcare provider has become central in supporting the mental wellbeing of the population. But what does a psychologist actually do? Do you listen to people talk about their problems all day long? What kind of training and qualifications do you need to pursue this career? What kind of personality best suits this profession? We find out more from clinical psychologist Sarah Zehan, on this episode of Humans of Healthcare.
Recently, there have been some rumblings that healthcare workers in Malaysia are going to go on strike to demand better wages and fairer working conditions. We hear about strikes from across the globe, as well. For example, rail workers in the US were about to go on strike recently until President Joe Biden signed a bill to block it. In 2020-2021, farmers in India went on strike for weeks against a law that would put farmers at the mercy of corporations. But what exactly are strikes? We discuss with Arveent Kathirtchelvan, Youth Chief, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM). Image Credit: Shutterstock
2/14/2023 • 38 minutes, 7 seconds
One Hundred Pages of Solitude - A Book About Love
Alexdrina Chong is a creative director, designer, illustrator, educator and artist. She produces art under the name Alexoid Luce, and has been open about her mental health challenges, having been diagnosed with bipolar disorder in her mid-20s. When the pandemic hit, she had to spend a lot of the lockdown period alone, and in 2021, she cranked open an empty journal, and started to draw. In Alexdrina's own words, what started off as casual visual journaling swiftly took the form of a dark and satirical characterisation of her experience as an Asian woman, with a fragile and defensive inner child lurking within. One Hundred Pages of Solitude: Book 1 is a book about love, and is a compilation of 100 images from all three journals dated between May 2021 to April 2022. A pre-order campaign was launched on the 13th February, in conjunction with Self-Love Day. Alexdrina joins us to share more about her work, and the catharsis her art provided her, to cope with difficult times.Check out the preview of the book here.Image Credit: Alexdrina Chong
2/14/2023 • 44 minutes, 53 seconds
Love-ly Time for SMEs This Valentine’s Day?
Some people think it’s over commercialized, and some think it’s a good excuse to celebrate love and romance. Despite differing opinions about it, it is a marketing strategy that has worked well over the years. With that being said, how are SMEs doing on this special day? We’ll be speaking to Penny Choo, Co-founder of BloomThis, a Malaysian online florist, and Marcus Low, the Founder of F&B outlet Table & Apron to find out how their businesses are doing on this lovely day.Photo Credit: Shutterstock | VGstockstudio
Sustainability in the floriculture world doesn’t stop at the florist. In conjunction with Valentine’s Day, we speak to Brenda James, Principal Florista at Nook Flowers about “Responsible Floristry”, and some of the uncomfortable truths behind the cut flower industry, especially on the most important day of the floral calendar.Photo Credit: Facebook | Nook Flowers
2/14/2023 • 27 minutes, 24 seconds
Wedding Bells Are Ringing!
The wedding industry is one of Malaysia's most lucrative industries, worth up to RM7 billion a year, according to the Malaysia Reserve in 2019. But we cannot forget that this industry has suffered one of the worst hits during the pandemic. Some couples even had to go through online weddings. But Precious Wedding Bridal Studio weathered through it all despite having no sales at all during the two years of pandemic. How are they doing now? And what are the wedding trends for couples who are looking to tie the knot this year?Photo Credit: Shutterstock | Alex Gukalov
2/14/2023 • 21 minutes, 28 seconds
BloomThis 用最潮的科技送最浪漫的花
2023 情人节特备节目 ① 时隔两年,线上花卉品牌 BloomThis 再度坐客节目,这回终于坐到了录音室里,故事浪漫依旧!一束象征爱情与浪漫的鲜花,尽管记忆刻骨铭心;娇蕊也终会凋零… 那么,一对爱侣能有什么办法,让鲜艳的爱永不褪色呢?就让我们趁着情人节来听听:线上花铺如何用工业 4.0 浪潮下的「非同质化代币(NFT)」,给消费者一束亘古恒久的爱情花束。
2/14/2023 • 19 minutes, 5 seconds
An Ecomodernist Take on Malaysia's Energy Transition
Countries the world over have acknowledged the need to transition to renewable energy in order to reduce carbon emissions that contribute to irreversible climate change. However, for developing countries like Malaysia that rely heavily on carbon resources to generate energy, can this shift to renewables be done without economic development also taking a hit? Praharsh Mehrotra, Research Fellow of the Adam Smith Center discusses some policy proposals taking the approach of ecomodernism.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com
2/14/2023 • 20 minutes, 10 seconds
How Will The Government Address Our Property Overhang?
Malaysia's property market continues to face headwinds. An issue which is seldom focused on is the level of property overhang in Malaysia. According to the National Property Information Centre (Napic), the residential overhang at the end of 3Q22 stood at 30,000 units worth RM20 bn. More worrying is Napic's revelation on ageing of the total overhang numbers where 71% of the properties have not been sold for the past 5 to 10 years. What does this mean for the state of developers' balance sheets as inventory has to written down and what sort of policies should the government be looking at to address this? For insights, we speak to Pankaj C Kumar, Business Commentator.
2/14/2023 • 13 minutes, 17 seconds
Karex: Has More Room To Grow
Karex Bhd, the world's largest condom maker suffered 2 years of consecutive losses but the worst appears to be over. We speak to Goh Miah Kiat, CEO of Karex as to what will be driving growth, was diversifying into gloves a mistake and whether is it too late to buy the shares after the recent rally?
2/14/2023 • 25 minutes
The Rise and Fall of SEA Tech
Last year saw the incredible reversal of fortunes of high-profile Southeast Asia tech start-ups. At the end of 2022, the combined market cap of Grab, GoTo and BukaLapak fell by USD51 billion, a far cry from the lofty valuations the trio commanded when they each made their IPO debuts. How might 2023 play out for the regional tech sector - can companies reverse the decline in share price and improve prospects? Nathan Naidu of Bloomberg Intelligence gives his take.Image Credit: Adansijav Official / Shutterstock.com
2/13/2023 • 12 minutes, 22 seconds
Has Inflation Peaked?
Last year, record high inflation spelled trouble for economies, capital markets and governments. After losing the transitory-vs-sticky debate, the Fed delivered a cumulative of 4.25% increase in rates last year. Asia Pacific meanwhile did not escape unscathed from elevated prices. In Malaysia, to shield households and firms from higher prices, it was estimated that the total subsidy bill and cash aid reached a record high of 77 billion ringgit for 2022. So will inflation loosen its grip this year or will governments have to battle between elevated prices and a recession? For answers we speak to Sarah Tan, Economist, Moody's Analytics.
2/13/2023 • 10 minutes, 1 second
UK Equities Aren't Correlated To The Economy
US CPI will be released later, we speak to Joe Quinlan, Chief Market Strategist at US Trust-BOA Private Wealth Management as to his expectations and how that will impact the pace of rate hikes. We also ask him as to why UK equities are outperforming depsite the weak economic outlook.
2/13/2023 • 10 minutes, 18 seconds
Wavelength Ep320: F.Rider
With our eyes set on unearthing the freshest flavors from unexpected places, we widen our scope with hand-picked musical gems from all across Asia. This week, rapper and producer F.Rider joins us on the show to share more details about his latest full length album called 'Rider Instinct'. --Sobs - Friday NightAugust Fear - flightModeyunè pinku - Bluff (yeule & Kin Leonn Remix) LAWS - BALIAstral Angel - Full Tank (feat. Nonsenselaaa, demoncriest, 5haf & Manska)F.Rider - ShahalamF.Rider Interview Part 1F.Rider - Melt (feat. Adam Imanullah & Guccimith)F.Rider - InceptionF.Rider Interview Part 2F.Rider - Instinct
2/13/2023 • 53 minutes, 7 seconds
Netflix Games & Chill
Netflix has (silently) joined the gaming world with Netflix Games, accessible via their mobile app. We check out what’s on offer, how they go about it, and whether they’ll be able to do more later down the road in their ambition to be a serious player in the industry..
2/13/2023 • 28 minutes, 13 seconds
Arsenal Drop Points Setting Up Midweek Thriller vs Man City
Three points! That's all that separates the top two in the league after gameweek 23. Arsenal would bemoan the way they dropped points after a controversial Ivan Toney goal gave Brentford a point at the Emirates in a game that finished 1-1. Manchester City took full advantage of that blip from the Gunners smashing Aston Villa 3-1. That sets up a tantalizing showdown in a couple of days' time as the two sides face each other in what might very well be the title decider. Elsewhere, Spurs took the lead before conceding four goals to a resurgent Leicester City to end proceedings at 4-1 at the King Power Stadium while Chelsea's blues went on - only managing to draw 1-1 vs London rivals West Ham. Manchester United & Marcus Rashford kept their run of form beating manager-less Leeds United 2-0 at Elland Road, while more VAR drama was present at Crystal Palace 1 Brighton 1. All that, plus mid-week previews, here on Just For Kicks. CREDIT: REUTERS/David Klein
2/13/2023 • 52 minutes, 26 seconds
Is Ramasamy Right About The Civil Service?
Penang Deputy Chief Minister, Dr P.Ramasamy has called for the government to reform the civil service, saying that it was now dominated by Malays. This has received flak from both sides of the political divide. First, we discuss Dr P. Ramasamy's remarks. Then, we look at the political fallout from this, as well as the PM’s response to it.Image Credit: Azami Adiputra, Shutterstock
2/13/2023 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 2 seconds
The Visible Invisibles: Migrant Stories Told Through Their Own Voices
‘The Visible Invisibles’ is collection of stories told by low-wage migrant workers in Asia in their own voices. It explores several themes such as the power imbalance between employers and employees, love, death, religion, racism, friendship, and social liberties. The authors, Shivaji Das and Yolanda Yu, spoke to us about the stories and how the book might challenge existing perceptions about migrant workers.Image Credit: Shivaji Das & Yolanda Yu
My Mind and Me #3: I’m Diagnosed with a Mental Health Disorder. What Happens Next?
If you’ve just been diagnosed with a mental health condition, it can be overwhelming to process. What happens next? How will it change how you manage your mental health? This is the third episode of My Mind and Me, a mini-series exploring what it looks like to seek help for your mental health. On today’s show, we’ll be looking at what to expect after a mental illness diagnosis, together with Hasbee, a lived experience advocate and Shaleen Chrisanne, a clinical psychologist. —Listen to the other episodes here:My Mind and Me #1: How Do I Find A Trusted Mental Health Professional?My Mind and Me #2: What Happens During Therapy?Image Credit: Shutterstock
Sg Ara Hillslope Development Quashed - A Major Win for Environmental Law
Late last month, the Federal Court in a landmark decision, quashed a hillside development that was issued by the local authority in Penang. Federal Court judge Nallini Pathmanathan who wrote the unanimous decision, ruled that Section 22(2A) says that the development affecting hill tops or hill slopes is no longer merely an issue of local state governance, but is also a federal and national issue. What does this all mean, and how will this ruling impact other hillslope development plans around the country? We speak to Datuk Dr Gurdial Singh Nijar, an advocate and solicitor who represented the Sg Ara residents who won the case after a decade long battle, to discuss the implications of this landmark decision, and why it's a win for environmental law.Image Credit: Sahabat Alam Malaysia