☕️ Azam Baki exits MACC after 42 years

1. MARKET SUMMARY 📈

2. NUMBERS AT A GLANCE 🔢

67% of profits went to 0.1% of accounts – A Wall Street Journal report found that about 67% of profits on prediction market Polymarket went to only 0.1% of its accounts. This means that fewer than 2,000 accounts have netted nearly USD500 mil (RM1.96 bil). For scale, Polymarket has at least 2.3 mil accounts, with 1.6 mil having conducted trades since Nov 2022. A data analytics firm reported that Polymarket and Kalshi, another prediction market, saw total trading volume surge to USD24.2 bil in Apr 2026, up from USD1.8 bil a year ago. Embed isn’t working well; check out the WSJ article here.

USD131 mil (RM513.65 mil) in losses – Data firm Dune found that a majority of the profits on Polymarket were raked in by a tiny fraction of accounts, which look to be automated bots. All other users collectively lost USD131 mil. A Bloomberg News analysis also revealed that almost half of the two mil wallets active since early 2025 either made or lost less than USD10, suggesting that people were experimenting with this new form of betting. Most of these accounts ended up losing money rather than making any.

JPY196 bil (USD1.23 bil or RM4.82 bil) – Data from the Japan Capsule Toy Association shows the country’s market for such toys was worth that much in 2025, up 39% from a year earlier. The number of capsule-toy specialty stores in Japan also surpassed 900 nationwide by the end of Jan 2026, an increase of more than 200 in a year. The association noted that the COVID-19 pandemic was a catalyst for the market’s expansion, as the capsule toy machines were “very much like vending machines” which were able to operate throughout the pandemic.

3. IN MALAYSIA 🇲🇾

Azam Baki exits MACC after 42 years, urges unity in transition
As his tenure ended on May 12, Azam Baki urged officers of the MACC to fully support its incoming leadership, stressing that loyalty and cooperation are key to keeping the institution strong and effective. Azam, who retires after 42 years in public service, including six years leading the commission, said officers must stay focused on serving the public and protecting the organisation’s legacy regardless of leadership changes. His time at the top wasn’t without controversy, drawing public scrutiny and debate over the MACC’s role and independence.
Read: Six years at MACC’s helm - Azam Baki’s record and controversies

Biz
RNG Tech plans ACE Market IPO and Rest N Go expansion
RNG Tech Bhd, the company behind the Rest N Go vending massage chairs often found in malls and airports, is preparing to go public and has appointed M&A Securities Sdn Bhd to underwrite its planned listing on the ACE Market, with the IPO expected by the third quarter.

RNG Tech currently operates more than 4,000 massage chairs across Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia and Brunei under the Rest N Go brand, claiming over two-thirds of Malaysia’s market share by revenue, while another 2,340 chairs operate in Vietnam and the Philippines through licensing deals. Funds raised from the IPO are expected to help the company add more stations and premium outlets, refurbish existing locations and repay borrowings, according to its draft prospectus released in Sept 2025. View prospectus here.

Malaysia launches Global Supply Crisis Monitoring Dashboard
Malaysia will introduce a public Global Supply Crisis Monitoring Dashboard on May 15 to give people a clearer picture of how global supply pressures are affecting the country’s economy, said Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir. Developed by the Ministry of Economy Malaysia and the Department of Statistics Malaysia, the dashboard will track areas such as energy, commodities, cost of living, economic performance, foreign exchange rates and trade flows across 10 sections.

A separate internal version will allow the government to monitor risks and coordinate responses using near real-time data. The initiative comes as authorities seek to manage global price pressures, especially in oil, fertilisers and food, while keeping essential supplies stable and limiting the impact on businesses and household costs.

Shorts:

1. Malaysia to stream FIFA World Cup 2026 free via RTMKlik app
   Football fans in Malaysia have something to look forward to. Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil is urging everyone to download the RTMKlik app so they can catch the FIFA World Cup 2026 for free. The matches will be shown by RTM and Unifi TV, marking the first time in about 20 years that Malaysians can enjoy free World Cup coverage. The tournament runs from June 11 to Jul 19 with 104 matches in total, all shown live on Unifi TV, while RTM will broadcast most games either live or on delay. The 2026 tournament will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, kicking off in Mexico City and wrapping up with the final in New Jersey, so it might be time to start planning those late-night watch parties.

2. Three men remanded after Kepong restaurant fight caught on video
   Police have arrested and remanded three men until May 14 after an early morning brawl involving four people at a restaurant on Jalan Besar Kepong last Thursday. Sentul police chief Basri Sagoni confirmed that a Facebook video circulating online is authentic, with investigations still underway. He said the incident is believed to have happened while the group was dining, when the victim allegedly looked at one of the suspects, who was intoxicated at the time. The suspect then reportedly took offence and assaulted the victim, sparking the fight seen in the video. The full incident can be viewed here (warning - graphic).

4. AROUND THE WORLD 🌎

Trump goes to China
US President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping from May 13 to 15, marking the first visit by a US president to China since Trump’s trip in 2017. Trump said he is ready to discuss US arms sales to Taiwan during the visit, suggesting his personal chemistry with Xi would prevent a Chinese invasion of the island.

Although the US officially recognises Beijing under the 1982 “Six Assurances”, a key foundation of US policy on Taiwan is that Washington would not “consult” Beijing about arms sales to Taiwan, a self-governing democracy which China considers its own. He is also bringing Elon Musk and Apple’s Tim Cook, for a trip expected to focus heavily on Trump’s hopes to ramp up trade. Trump and Xi last met face-to-face in Oct 2025 on the sidelines of a regional summit in South Korea. Wasn’t Trump and Musk feuding not too long ago?

Calbee to use black-and-white packaging due to naphtha shortage
Japan’s snack giant Calbee has been forced to switch to monochrome packaging for its flagship products due to naphtha shortages caused by the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Printing ink requires naphtha, a petroleum derivative, for which Japan relies on imports from the Middle East to meet about 40% of its naphtha consumption. Calbee, whose potato chip brands are particularly known for their brightly coloured bag designs, said 14 of its products would switch to monochrome packaging by the end of May.

Calbee was founded in Hiroshima in 1949 while the city was still recovering from the atomic bombing and has grown into a snack giant with its products sold across Asia, Europe and the US. The company acquired the UK’s Seabrook Crisps in 2018. It recorded sales of JPY322.5 bil (RM8.05 bil) in 2025.

Hantavirus control
The Netherlands receives 28 cruise passengers, quarantines 12 hospital staff
The Netherlands has safely received 28 passengers from the MV Hondius cruise ship hit by an outbreak of hantavirus. The planes carried eight Dutch nationals and other passengers of different nationalities who will continue on to their home countries from the Netherlands. The country has also begun a quarantine for 12 staff at a Dutch hospital that treated a Hondius passenger infected with hantavirus on May 7. The hospital staff members were placed into preventive quarantine for six weeks after blood and urine were handled without updated and stricter protocols. It said that the infection risk is very low and patient care continues uninterrupted.

Australia prepares quarantine for hantavirus cruise ship passengers
Australia is gearing up to receive and quarantine five Australians and one New Zealander from the hantavirus‑affected cruise ship MV Hondius, who were expected to arrive in the Netherlands before continuing their journey to Australia. All six of them have been confirmed to be in “good health”. Upon arrival in Western Australia, the passengers will enter a purpose‑built quarantine facility for about three weeks. Authorities will then decide whether additional monitoring may be required during the virus's 42‑day incubation period.

The outbreak, involving the Andes strain of hantavirus, has resulted in five confirmed cases, including three deaths, according to World Health Organisation (WHO) officials. Scientists confirmed the outbreak was caused by the rare Andes variant of hantavirus, the only known strain capable of human‑to‑human transmission, usually through close contact.

Scientists mull killing five species of mosquitoes
Research has shown that mosquitoes kill around 760,000 people every year, and that is because mosquitoes account for 17% of all infectious diseases, including malaria, dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya and Zika. As the world warms due to human-driven climate change, mosquitoes are spreading to new areas during longer summers, raising fears they could propel future health crises. However, out of roughly 3,500 mosquito species, only around 100 bite humans. And just five species are responsible for roughly 95% of human infections. Some scientists believe the eradication of these five species is warranted, given the huge devastation they inflict on the world.

Much needs to be done before doing it, including weighing the ethics of what some call "specicide" and whether it is necessary. Another option is to modify the mosquito genes to make the insect infertile and "harmless". Scientists are getting closer to this goal. However, sweeping foreign aid cuts by Western countries have threatened progress against most mosquito-borne diseases over the last year.

On another note, if you feel like mosquitoes favour you more than other people, you may be right. Scientists say that a soup of molecules produced by our microbiota makes it more or less appealing to mosquitoes. A combination of body odour, heat and carbon dioxide released by our bodies helps determine whether you end up on the mosquito dinner buffet.

Check out this mosquito trap, Mosquito Magnet, that went viral. USD506 (RM1.99k), in case you are wondering.

5. FOR YOUR EYES 📺

Robots, robots and robots

1. Our favourite kind of robots - to do the house chores. Figure AI demonstrated its two humanoid robots changing bed sheets - the difficult part is having the two robots to coordinate, as they need to understand each other. Read more here.

2. What humans see vs Tesla’s self-driving tech sees under extreme glare.

3. Unitree, the company behind the CNY kung fu robots, now brings you a mecha (piloted humanoid robot). You can own a piece of a robot future - Unitree has filed for IPO. War will be really different in the coming years.

4. German Chancellor visited Unitree during his official trip to Hangzhou, China, back in Feb. A lot must be running in his head, observing Chinese robotics development.