BFM 89.9

HIGHLIGHTS 
Podcast  >  Evening Edition  >  Top 5 At 5  >  Top 5 at 5: Crossroads in Bangladeshi Foreign Worker Agreement

Top 5 at 5: Crossroads in Bangladeshi Foreign Worker Agreement

Harun Al Rashid, migrant rights activist

07-Jul-25 17:00

Top 5 at 5: Crossroads in Bangladeshi Foreign Worker Agreement

There have been renewed calls from Bangladesh to review its 2021 recruitment agreement with Malaysia, citing concerns over agency selection and syndicate control. We talk to Harun Al-Rashid, a migrant rights activist, about the implications for workers and the push for a more transparent, ethical system.

Other stories we covered:

• Calls for probe into judicial irregularities: Nine PKR lawmakers, led by former PKR deputy president Dato' Seri Rafizi Ramli, have called for a Royal Commission of Inquiry and a Parliamentary Select Committee probe into alleged irregularities in judicial appointments. All of this comes right after Rafizi’s recent revelation of a heated exchange with Anwar Ibrahim (which PKR members have dismissed). Syaza Shukri, associate professor of political science at the International Islamic University Malaysia weighs in on this situation.

• Seed rights at risk: A proposed legislative amendment has sparked concern among padi farmers, who fear it could disrupt long-standing agricultural traditions and increase operational costs. We speak to Chee Yoke Ling, the Executive Director of the Third World Network about the impact of these amendments.

• ‘Turun Anwar’ rally: Yesterday, protesters gathered to protest the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in a rally organised by PAS Youth. With this rally being a precursor to the larger ‘Himpunan Turun Anwar’ taking place on July 26, we speak to Rafique Rashid, a lawyer, information chief of Pejuang, and one of the speakers at the rally.

• Keluar Sekejap podcast riles up PAP: Pritam Singh’s appearance on Khairy Jamaluddin and Shahril Hamdan’s podcast last month garnered a strong response from Singapore’s People’s Action Party (PAP). They criticised the Leader of the Opposition for ‘denouncing Singapore’ and speaking to foreign press. We discuss PAP's statement, the Workers Party’s response, and more.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

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

Presented by: Sharaad Kuttan, Dashran Yohan


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

Categories:  controversiesLaw/Activismcorruptionenvironmentpoliticsgovernmentinternationaltravelfood

Tags:  pritam singh'Turun Anwar' rallykhairy jamaludinshahril hamdansingaporepeople's action partypapthe oppositionpodcastworkers partyprime ministerPrime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahimanwaranwar ibrahimdatuk seri anwar ibrahimpoliticalprotestsfarmersseedspkrrafizi ramliroyal commission of inquiryparliamentary select committeejudicial appointments commission malaysiabangladeshbangladeshi migrant workermemorandum of understandingmigrant workersmigrant workers rightsmou





Play / Pause

Listen now : Enterprise Explores: What happens when the cost of intelligence hits zero? Peng...

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

Vishnu Varathan, Head of Economics & Strategy, Mizuho Bank 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

Dr Kathryn Robison, Lecturer in American Studies, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney on the United Stated partial government shutdown and political tension.

7:45 AM

Morning Brief

Danesh Prakash Chacko of TINDAK weighs in on whether limiting the PM’s tenure and electing KL’s mayor could strengthen governance and trust.

8:00 AM

The Breakfast Grille

Alex Ong, Executive Director of Hock Soon Capital, discusses the future of its poultry business on its way to the Main Market.

8:30 AM

Morning Brief

Ravi Kittane, Partner at Ernst & Young Consulting, discusses the digital banks' business in Malaysia and the region.

8:45 AM

Morning Brief

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

9:00 AM

Opening Bell

(REPEAT) Vishnu Varathan, Head of Economics & Strategy, Mizuho Bank tells us where international markets are heading.

9:15 AM

Opening Bell

Mohd Fadzerin Arrifin, Equity Analyst, BIMB Securities Research discusses Malaysia's property and REIT sectors.

9:35 AM

The Property Show

Dr. Tan Loke Mun, Principal of DrTanLM Architect, assesses KL's River of Life project 15 years on.

10:05 AM

Open For Business

Buzz ditched its green-tech BeeBag idea after hitting a scaling wall, for “commerce media,” turning fintech apps into ad channels. We unpack the kill signal behind the pivot, why item-level purchase data is the real moat, and whether your banking app is about to become the next big billboard

11:00 AM

The Workplace

Sharmini Ann Jacob, Executive Director of Business Transformation (People & Change), KPMG Malaysia

12:00 PM

Enterprise Explores

What happens when the cost of intelligence hits zero? Peng T. Ong joins us to explore the "Economic Singularity." From the "Star Trek vs. Wall-E" future to the death of inflation, we ask: how do we survive the end of work, and what is the "human premium" in a world of automated abundance?

1:00 PM

The Breakfast Grille Repeat

Alex Ong, Executive Director of Hock Soon Capital, discusses the future of its poultry business on its way to the Main Market.

2:05 PM

Discovery Hour

An eclectic selection of BBC shows, curated with variety in mind.

3:05 PM

Earth Matters

This World Wetlands Day, we explore Kuala Selangor Nature Park, where mangroves, mudflats, and wildlife thrive just minutes from the city.

4:05 PM

Health & Living

“I’m overstimulated”. By now, we’ve probably heard or seen someone say this but what does it actually mean to be overstimulated? How do you know if that’s what you’re feeling like?

5:00 PM

Top 5 at 5

A countdown of the 5 biggest stories of the day, to catch you up on all you need to know!

6:00 PM

Big Issue

7:00 PM

Stories of KL

We learn about the art of Kavadi making with father-son artisans K Sivarajah and Sathish Raja.

8:00 PM

Cruise Control

Daniel took the new 2026 Proton Saga MC3 out for a ride and share his thoughts on this car and its larger meaning to Malaysians.