Top 5 at 5: MA63 Milestones – What’s Changing for Sabah and Sarawak

Deputy Prime Minister Dato Sri Fadillah Yusof has announced that 11 demands under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) have been successfully resolved. These include amendments to appoint representatives as permanent members of the Inland Revenue Board and the transfer of regulatory power over gas and electricity supply. We dive into these developments with Ariff Adi Putera, a research officer at the Institute for Development Studies (Sabah).

Other stories we cover in this episode:

· The Ministry of Health is conducting interviews and health checks for the annual National Health and Morbidity Survey. Dr. Ahmad Ali Zainuddin, Head of the Centre for Nutrition Epidemiology Research, shares insights on the survey's focus.

· The Selangor state government has acquired a Jetpatcher machine to speed up road repairs, patching potholes in just 15 minutes. Shahrim Tahrim, former Board Member of the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research, weighs in on this new road repair technology.

· Malaysia’s plastic-free campaign is falling short, with 1.07 million tonnes of plastic waste generated each year. Wong Pui Yi, a researcher with the Basel Action Network, explains why the no-plastic-bag initiatives are missing the mark and suggests better strategies for waste reduction.

· The 4th Asia Pacific Feminist Forum is currently taking place in Chiang Mai, Thailand, celebrating feminist achievements and strengthening collective efforts for structural change. Evening Edition presenter, Lee Chwi Lynn, reports from the event.

Image Credit: Ketut Subiyanto, Pexels