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Top 5 at 5: Rethinking Wages for Malaysia's Future
43 mins·17:00, 1 Apr 2026
Top 5 at 5: Rethinking Wages for Malaysia's Future
43 mins
·
17:00, 1 Apr 2026
·
Recommended
Guest: Geoffrey Williams, economist
Bank Negara Malaysia’s latest Economic and Monetary Review highlights that while minimum wage policies have helped low‑income earners, they have not lifted middle‑income wages proportionally. The central bank is urging the creation of new wage‑setting institutions tied to workers’ needs and productivity, citing Japan’s Shunto system as a model. We speak to economist Geoffrey Williams. (Starts at 23:36)
• Najib ordered to repay billions in civil suit: Former PM Najib Razak has been directed by the High Court to repay over USD 1.3 billion to SRC International, after being found to have abused his authority and acted as a “shadow director” in misappropriating funds meant for civil servants. The ruling, separate from his earlier criminal conviction, includes USD 120 million traced to his personal accounts. We hear thoughts from Cynthia Gabriel of C4 on public trust, and Anand Raj of the Bar Council on whether this sets a precedent for future corruption cases. (Starts at 16:27)
• SPM 2025 results released: The first Form 5 cohort to sit for SPM without UPSR or PT3 has delivered improved results, with the national average grade rising to 4.42. Over 13,700 students scored straight As, including 376 with A+. We discuss this. (Starts at 10:25)
• New laws to regulate donations: In a 2–1 majority decision, the Federal Court has dismissed appeals by PEKA Malaysia and the Shah Alam Community Forest Society, effectively allowing the degazettement of 406ha of forest land to stand. The case, marked by controversy over backdated gazette notices, has sparked years of protests over transparency and environmental risks tied to a road project. We hear from SACF’s Dr Teckwyn Lim, Treasurer of the Shah Alam Community Forest Society. (Starts at 6:02)
• Eurovision's first Asian edition: Eurovision marks its 70th anniversary with a first‑ever Asian edition in Bangkok this November. Ten countries, including Malaysia, South Korea, and the Philippines, have confirmed participation, with more expected. The launch comes amid boycotts of the main gala over Israel’s inclusion, but excitement for Asia’s debut remains high. (Starts at 0:23)
Image Credit: Pexels
*Note: This podcast picture was edited with generative AI
Presenter: Lee Chwi Lynn, Susan Tam
Producer: Sudais Ferhard, Sneha Harikannan, Lim Sue Ann, Dashran Yohan, Alia Zefri
wage policy reformspm results 2026education exam performanceEurovision Asia 2026wage growthnajib razaksrc trialshah alam community forest societyforest gazettementeurovision song contest
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