BFM 89.9
The Business Station
Top 5 at 5: Why is Malaysia a Hotspot for Drug Trafficking?
41 mins·17:00, 12 Aug 2026
Top 5 at 5: Why is Malaysia a Hotspot for Drug Trafficking?
41 mins
·
17:00, 12 Aug 2026
·
Recommended
40 mins
41 mins
Guest: Palani Narayanan, director, Drug Policy Program of the Malaysian AIDS Foundation
Recently, a Malaysia Airlines pilot was detained after 26kg of ecstasy pills and 4g of methamphetamine were found in his suitcase and hand luggage respectively upon his arrival in Jakarta from KLIA. Following the incident, the Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department found that 14 Malaysians were arrested abroad for acting as drug mules this year, while federal police have seized over RM97 million in drugs at KLIA. As international syndicates exploit Malaysia as a regional transit hub, authorities are stepping up enforcement and warning the public against suspicious travel promises. We are joined by Palani Narayanan, director of the Drug Policy Program of the Malaysian AIDS Foundation, to discuss why syndicates are targeting local airports, how people are lured into becoming drug mules, and how to affectively dismantle these networks. (Starts at 22:45)
• What went down during the Tabung Haji debate?: A special one-day Dewan Rakyat sitting debated the 211-page Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report into Lembaga Tabung Haji, exposing billions in losses, failed safeguards, and political interference across major investments. We speak with Bryan Cheah, senior research officer with the Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4), about the key findings, political board appointments, and what legal reforms are needed to restore public trust. (Starts at 16:22)
• Activists march to Putrajaya over delayed reforms: Civil society groups including Bersih and Suaram marched to the Home Ministry in Putrajaya to protest delayed reforms to the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012. We discuss the 10 UN principles demanded by activists and whether the government is falling behind on its reform pledges. (Starts at 12:00)
• Bashar al-Assad sentenced to death: Syria’s former President Bashar al-Assad alongside his brother, Maher al-Assad, and cousin, Atef Najib, have been sentenced to death in absentia by a Damascus court for war crimes and crimes against humanity, while Atef Najib also faced trial in person. We speak with Dr James Dorsey, adjunct senior fellow at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, on the political significance of the verdict and whether it represents meaningful justice for Syria. (Starts at 05:38)
• Government lifts ban on Communist books: The Home Ministry has officially revoked its ban on two books about the Communist Party of Malaya, including the memoir of former AWS leader Shamsiah Fakeh. We look into what this reversal means for freedom of expression and open historical discourse in Malaysia. (Starts at 00:28)
Top 5 @ 5 is brought to you by Luno: A smarter way to crypto
Image Credits: Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah Narkotik PDRM (Facebook)
Presenter: Susan Tam, Dashran Yohan
Producer: Alia Zefri, Lim Sue Ann, Dashran Yohan, Sneha Harikannan, Susan Tam
drug smugglingdrug syndicatetabung haji rciparliamenthome ministrypeaceful assembly actbashar al-assaddeath sentencecommunist party of malayaMalaysia book ban communist memoirsluno
Share:
Recommended
Recent episodes
0
Latest stories
Podcasts · Aug 12 · 11:00AM
Building Merdeka - The Icons That Shaped Post-Independence KL
41 mins
Podcasts · Aug 12 · 41 mins
Building Merdeka - The Icons That Shaped Post-Independence KL
Podcasts · Aug 12 · 10:00AM
Rocky’s Death & What It Means For Our Stray Management
40 mins
Podcasts · Aug 12 · 40 mins
Rocky’s Death & What It Means For Our Stray Management
Podcasts · Aug 12 · 9:00AM
Top 5 at 5: Why is Malaysia a Hotspot for Drug Trafficking?
41 mins
Podcasts · Aug 12 · 41 mins
Top 5 at 5: Why is Malaysia a Hotspot for Drug Trafficking?