This is where you find all of Macaranga‘s podcasts with BFM89.9 Radio, as well as details on our training and mentorship, talks and everything else. [Feature pic by Freepik]
[Podcast] Malaysia’s Songbird Craze and Crisis
14 May 2025: Songbird competitions are a popular cultural tradition but could their popularity be threatening the birds? The Oriental Magpie-robin and Red-whiskered Bulbul are hot tickets but they are not protected by law.
What’s driving the craze, and what are the costs to conservation? Discussing the issues are Low Choon Chyuan, independent journalist, Wong Siew Lyn, editor, Macaranga, Dato’ Dr Amar Singh-HSS, editor, Malaysian Bird Report.
Based on stories by Choon Chyuan in Macaranga‘s series on songbirds. Produced by Juliet Jacobs.
Our stories are finalists for two awards!
14 May 2025: Our arowana and peat swamp stories have won some judges’ hearts in 2 different awards.
Our coverage of the deforestation threat to Peninsular Malaysia’s last virgin peat swamp forest was shortlisted for the Sigma Awards for data journalism. The story was one of 50 shortlisted from almost 500 entries globally.
Earlier, our stories on the legal trade of Asian arowana and the continued decline of their wild populations were longlisted for the One World Media Awards in the Print Award category. It was selected from nearly 560 entries from over 100 countries.
The stories were produced by Yao Hua and edited by Siew Lyn. Yao Hua has also previously won in these two awards. We are very honoured to be shortlisted. Please check out the other terrific nominees and winners too.
University students tackle environmental issues
14 May 2025: More than 60 students in all attended 2 workshops on environmental reporting and social media content creation. Organised by Macaranga in partnership with Universiti Malaya and Taylor’s University, the students will now submit pitches to enter a contest to produce environmental stories over 2 months.
The finalists will compete for awards worth a total of RM10,000.
On 3 May, Macaranga journalists Wong Siew Lyn and Law Yao Hua taught workshop participants environmental reporting principles, ethics and process. Working in teams, students explored topics ranging from how to cope with heat waves in campus residences to stray animal issues and deforestation and indigenous communities.
The 10 May workshop on social media was conducted by Cilisos editors Lau Chak Onn and Muhamad Iqbal Fatkhi. Lau and Iqbal emphasised that solid reporting is the foundation of a good story, and that effective social media storytelling can greatly amplify the story’s reach and impact.
While most participants came from mass communication courses, a good number came from other courses like science, history, and political science. But all participants were keen to improve how they communicate science or environmental issues. Participants also clearly cared about misinformation as many asked about ways to ensure credible reporting.
Look out for their upcoming stories and posts!
These workshops are supported with a grant from the Youth Environment Living Labs (YELL), administered by Justice for Wildlife Malaysia (JWM). The contents of the workshops do not necessarily reflect the views of YELL, JWM, and their collaborators.
A great gathering of concerned and committed greenies
5 May, 2025: What a day! They came, they asked questions, they made points, and they makan together. For several hours, 48 folks who cared about the environment seeded thoughts and harvested ideas and friendships at Macaranga’s Semai & Tuai 2025 event.
Don’t take our word for it. Here’s what participants said they liked best:
“Meeting people from different background and expertise but share the same common goal of protecting our planet.”
“It was a truly inspiring event.”
“..keep it intimate, effective and nice like this.”
In the round-robin group discussions, 6 hosts expertly handled focus topics on just energy transition, carbon trading and floods, ably supported by documenters.
The 4 booth participants raised awareness about air pollution campaigns, plastic upcycling and supporting livelihoods, and marine mammal conservation, while natural history books were on sale.
We ended with an honest, interactive review of Macaranga.
And all hopefully went home warm, fuzzy and rejuvenated to keep talking to each other and sharing concerns, ideas and solutions.
The event was supported with a grant from the Youth Environment Living Labs (YELL), administered by Justice for Wildlife Malaysia (JWM). The contents of this event do not necessarily reflect the views of YELL, JWM, and their collaborators.
[Podcast] Macaranga Monthly Wrap-Up April 2025
30 April, 2025: We looked back at April to talk about the possible reasons why Borneon pygmy elephants were killed in alarming numbers in Sabah.
We also discussed the landmark settlement between the Kg Berengoi Orang Asli community and oil palm developers YP Olio in Pahang. Yao Hua had reported on this in 2021.
YP Olio agreed to allocate 728 ha of their project site to be gazetted as an Aboriginal Area or Reserve – 405 ha are forests, and 323 ha, logged areas that contain the plaintiffs’ orchards and ancestral gravesites.
YP Olio will pay 6 of the plaintiffs each a cash grant of RM80,000 and a monthly allowance of RM700 for 20 years. The company can proceed to cut the remaining 5,200 ha of natural forests.
Finally, we looked at the first National Climate Change Action Council Meeting for 2025 chaired by the Prime Minister, which saw presentations on the Climate Change Bill and Carbon Market mechanisms.
[Podcast] Malaysia’s EFT Scheme: What’s Working, What’s Not
16 April, 2025: Since 2019, the Malaysian federal government has paid more than RM500 million to state governments to encourage them to conserve nature. Why does Putrajaya need to do this, and how effective has this mechanism called ecological fiscal transfer (EFT) been?
This podcast is based on Samantha Ho’s 2-part series on EFTs. On the BFM89.9 show, Samantha and environmental lawyer Preetha Sankar chat with radio producer Juliet Jacobs on the origins of Malaysia’s EFT. They also discussed the challenges of assessing the outcomes and making the funding sustainable.
[Podcast] Macaranga Monthly Wrap-Up March 2025
27 March, 2025: In our March wrap-up of environmental news, we discussed 2 trials about Orang Asli traditional lands. The first one is with regards to the destruction of Jakun ancestral graves in Pahang, reportedly in discussion for a settlement. The second is a new trial over the encroachment of Kelantan Temiar ancestral lands by logging, mining and the large-scale agriculture.
We also covered how the the Dewan Rakyat passed a new law called the Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS) Bill 2025. It paves the way for technologies that reduce CO2 emissions from industries. But the bill’s detractors say it is too rushed.
[Podcast] Understanding Environmental Impact Assessments
12 March, 2025: How does the EIA process work, and how much influence does public feedback really have?
This podcast is based on Yao Hua’s 3-part series on this, and features Yao Hua, EIA consultant and auditor Khairulina Mohd Kamaruddin, and Hawa Wahid, the President of Persatuan Aktivis Sahabat Alam (KUASA).
They break down the complexities of EIAs, why public participation matters, and how we can make the process more transparent and effective.
Two weekends of intensive media training
5 March, 2025: Over two weekends in February, we hosted 12 Malaysian journalists for a workshop on environmental reporting.
They worked on ideas such as societal impacts of coastal development and investigating illegal dumpsites using satellite imagery. From intellectual insights to hands-on tools for better storytelling, they learned how to structure longform articles; use data in their reports; and got feedback on their own story ideas.
Following this, we will give out grants to the best story pitches. Watch this space!
[Pics by SL Wong and (bottom right) Fernando Fong]
[Podcast] Macaranga Monthly Wrap-Up February 2025
27 February, 2025: For February’s monthly wrap-up of top environmental news, we highlight the impacts of the recent flooding on conservation projects in Kinabatangan, Sabah. We also discuss the government’s plans to punish litterbugs, and finally what Malaysia’s chairing of ASEAN means for the environment and sustainability in the bloc.
[Podcast] The Realities of Rehabilitating & Releasing Rescued Sun Bears
24 February, 2025: In Sabah, rescuing and caring for sun bears is only half the battle. The real challenge lies in preparing those that are able, for life back in the wild, while addressing the root causes of their declining population: illegal trade and loss of habitat.
This BFM89.9 Radio Earth Matters podcast features Vincent Tan, Macaranga contributing writer; Dr. Wong Siew Te, CEO and Founder of the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre; and Elizabeth John, Communications Manager from TRAFFIC Southeast Asia. Based on Vincent’s article, Helping Sabah’s Sun Bears Return to the Wild.
Produced by Juliet Jacobs.
Training, training and talks
23 February, 2025: February is not even over but we (mostly Yao Hua) have been doing a ton of training and talks! So much so we haven’t been able to report on it all. Here’s a catchup, from oldest to most recent:
♦♦ On Feb 16, Siew Lyn spoke at the World Wildlife Day Regional Youth Symposium on how to harness different media to communicate about the environment. Organised by National Parks Singapore, almost 200 youths from Asean attended.
♦♦ On Jan 27, Yao Hua was one of 3 speakers in a webinar that showcased why and how journalists could use free satellite imagery in their reporting. Fellow speakers were data visualisation specialist and cartographer Laura Kurtzberg and Wall Street Journal graphic reporter Carl Churchill. The webinar was organised by the Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN). It had more than 600 attendees – “making it one of the most popular webinars in GIJN history”, wrote GIJN.
♦♦ On 17 Jan, Yao Hua was invited by the Malaysian Nature Society to give a 30-minute presentation on the provisions for environmental impact assessment in the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction.
♦♦ On 13 Jan, Yao Hua was invited by the Pulitzer Centre and Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, to share our reporting process with 20+ students of the university.
Where do we find the time to do reporting, editing and mentoring, you ask? Where indeed …
Workshop on reporting better on biodiversity
10 February, 2025: The start of February saw us conduct 2 sessions for Asian Dispatch’s media training on reporting on climate and biodiversity.
They were respectively on ‘How to better report on biodiversity’ and ‘Covering wildlife trade’, for the collective’s 34 member participants from around Asia. The other trainer was veteran editor Sahana Ghosh from India, who covered ‘Navigating Scientific Literature’.
Macaranga is a member of the collective, and the training was part of their Biodiversity Media Initiative grant from Internews Earth Journalism Network, of which Macaranga is also a recipient.
[Podcast] Macaranga Monthly Wrap-up January 2025
28 January, 2025: n January, we saw the horrifying eroded coast of Bukit Rakit in Terengganu, caused by large waves.
But large waves also break up coral reefs, which when healthy, actually help absorb wave energy. But Malaysia’s reefs can’t do their job properly because of coral bleaching, also caused by warmer temperatures.
We discuss this in our first Macaranga Monthly Wrap-up of environmental news in 2025 on BFM89.9 Radio.
We round up the wrap-up with good news: executive summaries of Environmental Impact Assessments are now more accessible.
Changemakers in Penang get media training
28 January, 2025: We teamed up with Ruang Kongsi to share our experiences on environmental reporting with a group of passionate changemakers in Penang. Participants developed their own story ideas; learned how to turn data into impactful, real-world stories; and navigated digital tools like satellite imagery to uncover facts.
Here’s feedback from a participant: “While there are plenty of free tools and lessons available online, learning from an experienced journalist made everything so much clearer and saved me from a lot of trial and error.
“Plus, seeing how these tools are applied through existing Macaranga articles and gaining insight on the thought process behind them was very helpful for a beginner like me.”
Huge thanks to the International Federation of Journalists for funding The Digital Tools for Environmental Reporting in Penang workshop.
[Podcast] Petting zoos: conservation or exploitation
[Podcast] Macaranga Monthly Wrap-Up April 2025
29 April, 2025: In our April wrap-up of environmental news, we shared 3 recent events. First, the beheadings of Bornean pygmy elephants in Sabah, a sad consequence of human-elephant conflict over landuse and perhaps of wildlife poaching. Then we spoke about the court settlement between a Temoq Orang Asli community and the oil palm company over land rights. The Orang Asli secured 730 ha of forests, rivers and logged forests, while the company can proceed to clear the remaining 5,200 ha of natural forests. Finally, we highlighted the first National Climate Change Action Council (NCCAC) meeting of 2025 chaired by the Prime Minister.
[Podcast] Malaysia’s EFT Scheme: What’s Working, What’s Not
16 April, 2025: Since 2019, the Malaysian federal government has paid more than RM500 million to state governments to encourage them to conserve nature. Why does Putrajaya need to do this, and how effective has this mechanism called ecological fiscal transfer (EFT) been?
This podcast is based on Samantha Ho’s 2-part series on EFTs. On the BFM89.9 show, Samantha and environmental lawyer Preetha Sankar chat with radio producer Juliet Jacobs on the origins of Malaysia’s EFT. They also discussed the challenges of assessing the outcomes and making the funding sustainable.
[Podcast] Macaranga Monthly Wrap-Up March 2025
27 March, 2025: In our March wrap-up of environmental news, we discussed 2 trials about Orang Asli traditional lands. The first one is with regards to the destruction of Jakun ancestral graves in Pahang, reportedly in discussion for a settlement. The second is a new trial over the encroachment of Kelantan Temiar ancestral lands by logging, mining and the large-scale agriculture.
We also covered how the the Dewan Rakyat passed a new law called the Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS) Bill 2025. It paves the way for technologies that reduce CO2 emissions from industries. But the bill’s detractors say it is too rushed.
[Podcast] Understanding Environmental Impact Assessments
12 March, 2025: How does the EIA process work, and how much influence does public feedback really have?
This podcast is based on Yao Hua’s 3-part series on this, and features Yao Hua, EIA consultant and auditor Khairulina Mohd Kamaruddin, and Hawa Wahid, the President of Persatuan Aktivis Sahabat Alam (KUASA).
They break down the complexities of EIAs, why public participation matters, and how we can make the process more transparent and effective.
Two weekends of intensive media training
5 March, 2025: Over two weekends in February, we hosted 12 Malaysian journalists for a workshop on environmental reporting.
They worked on ideas such as societal impacts of coastal development and investigating illegal dumpsites using satellite imagery. From intellectual insights to hands-on tools for better storytelling, they learned how to structure longform articles; use data in their reports; and got feedback on their own story ideas.
Following this, we will give out grants to the best story pitches. Watch this space!
[Pics by SL Wong and (bottom right) Fernando Fong]
[Podcast] Macaranga Monthly Wrap-Up February 2025
27 February, 2025: For February’s monthly wrap-up of top environmental news, we highlight the impacts of the recent flooding on conservation projects in Kinabatangan, Sabah. We also discuss the government’s plans to punish litterbugs, and finally what Malaysia’s chairing of ASEAN means for the environment and sustainability in the bloc.
[Podcast] The Realities of Rehabilitating & Releasing Rescued Sun Bears
24 February, 2025: In Sabah, rescuing and caring for sun bears is only half the battle. The real challenge lies in preparing those that are able, for life back in the wild, while addressing the root causes of their declining population: illegal trade and loss of habitat.
This BFM89.9 Radio Earth Matters podcast features Vincent Tan, Macaranga contributing writer; Dr. Wong Siew Te, CEO and Founder of the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre; and Elizabeth John, Communications Manager from TRAFFIC Southeast Asia. Based on Vincent’s article, Helping Sabah’s Sun Bears Return to the Wild.
Produced by Juliet Jacobs.
Training, training and talks
23 February, 2025: February is not even over but we (mostly Yao Hua) have been doing a ton of training and talks! So much so we haven’t been able to report on it all. Here’s a catchup, from oldest to most recent:
♦♦ On Feb 16, Siew Lyn spoke at the World Wildlife Day Regional Youth Symposium on how to harness different media to communicate about the environment. Organised by National Parks Singapore, almost 200 youths from Asean attended.
♦♦ On Jan 27, Yao Hua was one of 3 speakers in a webinar that showcased why and how journalists could use free satellite imagery in their reporting. Fellow speakers were data visualisation specialist and cartographer Laura Kurtzberg and Wall Street Journal graphic reporter Carl Churchill. The webinar was organised by the Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN). It had more than 600 attendees – “making it one of the most popular webinars in GIJN history”, wrote GIJN.
♦♦ On 17 Jan, Yao Hua was invited by the Malaysian Nature Society to give a 30-minute presentation on the provisions for environmental impact assessment in the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction.
♦♦ On 13 Jan, Yao Hua was invited by the Pulitzer Centre and Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, to share our reporting process with 20+ students of the university.
Where do we find the time to do reporting, editing and mentoring, you ask? Where indeed …
Workshop on reporting better on biodiversity
10 February, 2025: The start of February saw us conduct 2 sessions for Asian Dispatch’s media training on reporting on climate and biodiversity.
They were respectively on ‘How to better report on biodiversity’ and ‘Covering wildlife trade’, for the collective’s 34 member participants from around Asia. The other trainer was veteran editor Sahana Ghosh from India, who covered ‘Navigating Scientific Literature’.
Macaranga is a member of the collective, and the training was part of their Biodiversity Media Initiative grant from Internews Earth Journalism Network, of which Macaranga is also a recipient.
[Podcast] Macaranga Monthly Wrap-up January 2025
28 January, 2025: n January, we saw the horrifying eroded coast of Bukit Rakit in Terengganu, caused by large waves.
But large waves also break up coral reefs, which when healthy, actually help absorb wave energy. But Malaysia’s reefs can’t do their job properly because of coral bleaching, also caused by warmer temperatures.
We discuss this in our first Macaranga Monthly Wrap-up of environmental news in 2025 on BFM89.9 Radio.
We round up the wrap-up with good news: executive summaries of Environmental Impact Assessments are now more accessible.
Changemakers in Penang get media training
28 January, 2025: We teamed up with Ruang Kongsi to share our experiences on environmental reporting with a group of passionate changemakers in Penang. Participants developed their own story ideas; learned how to turn data into impactful, real-world stories; and navigated digital tools like satellite imagery to uncover facts.
Here’s feedback from a participant: “While there are plenty of free tools and lessons available online, learning from an experienced journalist made everything so much clearer and saved me from a lot of trial and error.
“Plus, seeing how these tools are applied through existing Macaranga articles and gaining insight on the thought process behind them was very helpful for a beginner like me.”
Huge thanks to the International Federation of Journalists for funding The Digital Tools for Environmental Reporting in Penang workshop.
