Top 5 at 5: Are We Taking Freedom of Information Seriously Enough?

Aliran has criticized the Penang Island City Council for failing to respond to an FOI request, raising concerns over transparency and accountability. As Malaysia drafts a federal FOI law, we explore the challenges of enforcing existing state-level FOI legislation with lawyer, Kumaran Menon.

• Civil rights groups urge action on Pannir Selvam's death row case: With all legal avenues exhausted, Pannir Selvam faces imminent execution in Singapore under its strict drug laws. Rights groups argue Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair, has both the leverage and responsibility to intervene—Dobby Chew, CEO of Hayat, weighs in.

• Student arrests spark allegations of police abuse: Activists claim police abused their powers when they detained eight people outside the Wangsa Maju police station in connection with a Palestinian solidarity protest. We speak to Danny Villenguez from student group AKSI about what happened and why it matters.

• Viral influencer disappearance exposed as a hoax: Malaysian TikToker Eyka’s reported disappearance in Indonesia turned out to be a hoax staged for views. With Indonesian authorities cracking down on false news, we unpack the implications with talent manager TC Yap and criminal lawyer Jayananda Rao.

• Singapore Tourism Board collaborates with Coldplay: Coldplay’s latest music video, Man in the Moon, showcases Singapore’s Marina Bay with a floating stage and local youth audience. We discuss its impact as part of Singapore’s tourism-driven collaborations with global artists.

Image Credit: shutterstock.com

Presenter: Lee Chwi Lynn, Dashran Yohan

Producer: Sudais Ferhard, Tee Shiao Eek, Sneha Harikannan

student activist protests

police abuse

palestinian solidarity protest

Influencer disappearance hoax

coldplay music video

freedom of information

aliran

pannir selvam pranthanam

death row