Top 5 at 5: Trump - What Comes Next?

Donald Trump has been elected as the 47th President of the United States in a seemingly less contentious race than previously predicted. We speak to Meredith Weiss, Professor of Political Science and Director of the Southeast Asia Consortium at the State University of New York at Albany, about Trump’s potential policies and his positioning as a "peace candidate" aiming to end America’s "forever wars." We also hear from past guests of Road to the White House — like Steve Okun, Margot Prebenda and Derick Becker — for their reactions to the election results and what it could say about America moving forward.

Other stories we covered today:

· Malaysia's Plastic Waste Crisis: Malaysia is the world’s second-largest importer of plastic waste, and with the EU's 2026 ban on exporting waste to non-OECD countries, they have been trying to enforce a responsible quota on importing plastic waste. YB Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, stated that his ministry will address illegal waste imports and aims to lead ASEAN efforts on tackling regional plastic waste challenges. Hema Mahadevan from Greenpeace Malaysia shares her insights on the challenges of "waste colonialism" and how Malaysia can tackle illegal plastic waste imports.

· Rohingya community calling for Malaysian protection: The Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK and Free Rohingya Coalition have called on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to address the ongoing genocide against the Rohingya. Rohingya journalist and activist Pacifist Farooq discusses what Malaysia can do as the ASEAN chair to help resolve the crisis.

· Malaysian Mercenary in Ukraine: A 20-year-old Malaysian, Lee Bing Hang, has been identified as a mercenary fighting in Ukraine against Russia. We explore the legal implications of this case with a deep dive into laws on mercenary activity, including potential penalties, and the broader geopolitical ramifications of Malaysians participating in foreign conflicts.

· Popek Popek Parlimen: In today’s Dewan Rakyat session, topics discussed included GLCs and GLICs now needing ministerial approval as part of their new policy to approve bonuses, incentives, and company trips. Then, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil adresses queries about the appointment of UMobile as the country's second 5G network operator. Plus, Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh announces a post-mortem of Malaysia's performance at the Olympics and further developments to Malaysian sports.

Image Credit: Jonah Elkowitz, Shutterstock