Top 5 at 5: Lawyers To Contest Treatment of GISBH Children

Six lawyers are preparing to sue the government over allegations of misconduct involving children rescued from GISBH welfare homes. They claim the children were taken in a manner violating Malaysian law and international agreements, including the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. We hear from Sharmila Sekaran, Chairperson of Voice of the Children, for her perspective.

Other stories we covered:

• PM Among World’s Most Influential Muslims: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has been ranked the 15th most influential Muslim figure globally, as per the 2025 edition of The World's 500 Most Influential Muslims. His ranking reflects his political resilience, academic achievements, and advocacy for Palestine. We discuss the significance of his influence with Dr. Khairudin Aljunied, an Associate Professor of Malay Studies from NUS.

• Auntie Anne’s Employee Fired for Viral Dough Incident: A viral video showing an Auntie Anne's kitchen hand kissing pretzel dough led to her immediate dismissal. The chain also closed the outlet for deep cleaning. We speak with Dato’ Indrani Thuraisingham, CEO of the National Consumer Complaints Centre, about the incident and food safety regulations.

• Vapes Disguised as School Stationery: Online sellers are offering vape skins that disguise devices as everyday stationery, making them appealing to young users. With new laws now in force, Dr Mary Assunta, Senior Policy Advisor with the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance shares her thoughts on whether the regulations are enough to tackle this rising trend.

• Brazil Supreme Court Lifts Ban on X Platform: After complying with Supreme Court demands, including blocking certain accounts and naming a legal representative, X (formerly Twitter) has been reinstated in Brazil. Benjamin Loh, Director of the Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions Impact Lab at Taylor's University, weighs in on the implications for Brazil and the challenges ahead for the platform post-ban.

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