☕️ Bersatu's internal drama: Hamzah vs Muhyiddin showdown

1. MARKET SUMMARY 📈

2. NUMBERS AT A GLANCE 🔢

Penang accounts for about 45% of Malaysia’s total healthcare travel revenue, with 449,289 foreign patients visiting the state in 2025. This is up 7.3% from 418,608 in 2024. According to State Tourism and Creative Economy committee chairman Wong Hon Wai, the number of healthcare travellers to Penang is also expected to grow by between 5% and 10% in 2026. It was also reported that Indonesia is the largest source market for these healthcare travellers, contributing 65.8% of national medical tourism revenue. The most commonly sought treatments include oncology, orthopaedics, obstetrics and gynaecology, cosmetic surgery, dental care, and fertility services.

184 oncologists. That’s how many cancer specialists are serving nationwide, and clearly highlights the shortage Malaysia is facing. The Ministry of Health will be taking a cluster hospital approach to expand access to oncology services, as Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the number is not enough to meet growing demand. Of the 184 oncologists nationwide as of 2025, 65 serve under the Ministry of Health, 107 are in the private sector, and the rest are still in training. As of 2025, the number of specialists represents a 60% increase compared to 2019. Currently, cancer is the third-highest cause of death in Malaysia, with about 40,000 new cases reported each year.

Nearly 21,000 fall-induced hip fractures. That’s how many cases are expected in 2050, up 3.5 times in just over two decades from the 6,000 cases projected in 2026. This increase in fall-related hip fractures is linked to Malaysia’s ageing population, a situation that is placing mounting pressure on an already stretched healthcare system. The projected surge is expected to cost more than RM507.4 mil annually.

3. IN MALAYSIA 🇲🇾

Selfies, sejarah, and a gula Melaka coffee date at BSAS?
Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad (BSAS) at Dataran Merdeka has finally opened its doors properly to the public last week after a year of renovation, and it’s no longer just that pretty backdrop in your KL photos. The two floors now function as exhibition halls that tell Kuala Lumpur’s story, using the building itself as the “main character”, from its onion domes and clocktower to those famous arcaded corridors content creators love.

Inside, the KL City Gallery’s main show, “A City Of Dreams: Kuala Lumpur 1820s–1974”, walks you through KL’s evolution from a muddy river confluence settlement to a bustling colonial hub and, eventually, Malaysia’s capital. Best part for now: entry to the BSAS exhibition halls is free for the month of February 2026, daily from 9am to 6pm, making it a very decent Visit Malaysia Year 2026 pit stop.

RM2.2 bil SARA drop: Every adult MyKad holder gets RM100
The government just launched the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) scheme yesterday, dishing out RM2.2 bil to over 22 million Malaysians aged 18 and above. Each eligible adult receives a one-off RM100 credit via their MyKad, usable until December 31, 2026. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that frozen food is now part of the eligible categories, expanding the list to 15 categories and 140,000 types of goods. That said, fresh produce still excluded despite earlier pledge to include it.

Additionally, the government is ramping up participation from small grocery retailers to 10,000 by year's end, ensuring the economic benefits spread beyond big-box stores. Anwar emphasised that previous implementations concentrated spending in larger outlets, limiting broader impact. This time, small traders get a slice of the action too.

Bersatu's internal drama: Hamzah vs Muhyiddin showdown 🍿
Is this a disciplinary hearing or a political purge? That's the question swirling around Bersatu as Deputy President Hamzah Zainudin and four division leaders face a disciplinary board summons this Thursday. Hamzah, who’s also the Opposition Leader, stands accused of sabotaging the party and tarnishing Muhyiddin Yassin’s image, allegations that include manipulating statutory declarations at the Gopeng Retreat. A Jan 28 public statement by Hamzah, ”I wasn't even invited, so how could I be expected to attend?” apparently didn't sit well with party leadership, who claim it damaged Muhyiddin’s reputation.

Four division chiefs (Selayang, Dungun, Johor Baru, and Tangga Batu) are also summoned for allegedly backing Hamzah over Muhyiddin. Meanwhile, Muhyiddin held back-to-back gatherings framed as pre-Ramadan religious events but insiders say it's about consolidating support before the party fractures further. The fallout between the two camps has been brewing publicly for months, with Hamzah previously dodging a similar summons last October. Former Pahang Bersatu chief Saifuddin Abdullah didn't mince words, accusing Muhyiddin of weaponising the disciplinary board to cling to power and urging him to resign.

Palm oil gets a glow-Up, WWF & Guthrie go regenerative in Sabah
Can palm oil be both profitable and planet-friendly? WWF-Malaysia and SD Guthrie are betting yes with their groundbreaking five-year regenerative agriculture pilot, the first of its kind in the palm oil industry. Spanning 13,000 hectares across five RSPO-certified Guthrie estates in Tawau, the programme aims to establish wildlife corridors, boost biodiversity, and improve soil health while keeping plantations productive.

WWF-Malaysia CEO Sophia Lim calls it “a decisive step towards delivering landscape-scale biodiversity and climate-positive outcomes,” emphasising that these efforts “go beyond RSPO and MSPO certification to deliver measurable improvements for biodiversity, climate resilience and communities”. Meanwhile, Guthrie's group MD Mohd Haris Mohd Arshad says the initiative aligns with their “Beyond Zero” framework, which targets introducing regenerative practices industry-wide by 2028.

The pilot is part of WWF's Reconnect Borneo Initiative, focused on restoring ecological connectivity through wildlife corridors. Guthrie has also pledged to restore and conserve 100,000 hectares across its value chain by 2030.

8 Conlay's billion-Ringgit drama: Big developers throw their hats in
 Several prominent local property developers have lobbed bids for KSK Group’s stalled 8 Conlay beast, a RM5.4 bil mixed-use gem in prime Jalan Conlay, smack between KLCC and Golden Triangle. Sources whisper names like TS Law Land and Mah Sing are in the mix, eyeing this half-built icon after years of contractor feuds, court battles, and cash crunches that left it frozen.

Launched as KSK's property debut with three sky-high towers (up to 60 storeys!), a luxury hotel, serviced suites, condos, and a retail podium, once boasting a RM4 bil GDV dream. Drama begun after GDB Holdings (ex-main contractor) sued over RM120 mil unpaid bills in 2022, work halted, terminations flew, new contractor Conlay Construction hopped on in 2023, yet legal ping-pong (including RM83 mil adjudications) pushed it into receivership with Adam Primus & Co calling shots. Now, as receivers hustle the sale, these bids could revive the beast or flip it into fresh hands.

The kicker - the management of KSK Group claimed, that the company, together with its undisclosed white knight investor, remains “steadfast and committed” to pursuing the rescue of 8 Conlay development project.

Shorts

1. 90% gig hustlers skipping PERKESO's safety net
   Out of Malaysia's 3.26 mil self-employed folks – think hawkers, e-hailing riders, and freelancers – a whopping 90% aren't actively chipping into PERKESO's Lindung Kendiri scheme, leaving just 325k contributors as of late Jan 2026. In Penang alone, only 15k are on board, with hawkers making up a measly 38k nationwide (5k in the island state), signalling small traders are still sleeping on this "investment in security," as PERKESO CEO Datuk Seri Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz put it. Last year, PERKESO paid out RM31.25 mil in benefits to 7.7k claimants, proving it's no gimmick.
   Read: What is Lindung Kendiri scheme?​

2. Artist's plane rage: Suing AirAsia over bike mural heist 
   Lithuanian street art legend Ernest Zacharevic, famed for Penang's iconic "Kids on Bicycle" mural (painted in 2012), has slapped AirAsia Berhad and Capital A Berhad with a High Court lawsuit in KL on Feb 9, 2026. He claims they slapped his artwork on a plane's livery in Oct 2024 without permission, plus repeated unauthorised uses in ads, emails, and mags since 2016. No royalties, no credit, nada. Zacharevic wants court nods for his artist rights, injunctions to stop further rip-offs, removal of infringing stuff, and fat damages (amount TBD by judge). Talks broke down after AirAsia's “lame offer,” he says the plane livery got yanked post-complaint, but too late for amicable vibes.

4. AROUND THE WORLD 🌎

Electoral Results

Japan: Sanae Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party wins supermajority
Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi’s party won by a landslide in Japan’s general election, securing a supermajority (at least two-thirds) in the country’s lower house of parliament. The party won 316 of the 465 seats, well above the 233 needed for a majority. However, the win could mean further diplomatic tensions with China in the future, considering Beijing is still furious about Takaichi’s comment about Taiwan. Takaichi is already accelerating defence spending to a record 2% of gross domestic product by the end of March. Beijing has said that a single election will not change China’s policy towards Japan, and again urged Takaichi to withdraw her remarks on Taiwan.

Thailand: PM Anutin Charnvirakul’s victory stronger-than-expected, coalition talks begin
Thai PM Anutin’s Bhumijaithai Party is projected to win 194 seats in Thailand’s 500-seat parliament, with the reformist People’s Party taking 116. This leaves Anutin almost certain to stay in office, with his party having more than double the number of seats it won in the 2023 election. However, coalition talks are expected to begin soon, with Anutin saying the country needs a strong government. So far, the People’s Party has indicated it will not join a coalition with Bhumijaithai.

Meanwhile, Anutin has vowed to build a wall along Thailand’s border with Cambodia and to strengthen the military. He will also be retaining the incumbent ministers of finance, foreign affairs, and commerce in a new cabinet, while proceeding with existing stimulus plans, especially as Thailand still faces a challenging economic outlook. The current plan, according to Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas, is for the incoming government to convert state-promoted and approved projects worth THB480 bil (RM60.5 bil) into actual investment this year. The incoming government is expected to take office by the end of April.

Tech Stuff

Singapore’s four telcos targeted by cyber-espionage group in 2025
The city-state’s Cyber Security Agency said that Singapore’s four telcos – Singtel, StarHub, M1, and Simba Telecom – were targeted by cyber-espionage group UNC3886 in attacks in 2025. The agency reported that, while the hackers were able to penetrate and gain access to some parts of the telecom systems, they could not disrupt services or access personal data. However, they did manage to gather a small amount of technical data. UNC3886 has been described as a “China-nexus espionage group”, though Beijing has routinely denied any allegations of cyber espionage.

Uber to acquire food delivery arm of Türkiye’s Getir in USD335 mil deal
Ride-hailing giant Uber will be paying USD335 mil (RM1.32 bil) in cash to fully acquire Getir’s food delivery segment. It was previously reported in November that the parties had reached an agreement, but were awaiting approval from Turkish authorities. This move will allow Uber to expand its footprint in Türkiye, where the ride-hailing titan had previously acquired Trendyol GO for USD700 mil.

Taiwan says 40% shift of chip capacity to the US is ‘impossible’
Taiwan’s Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun said she had previously made it clear to Washington that Taiwan’s semiconductor ecosystem, built up over decades, could not be relocated. Cheng said that any international expansion, including increased investment in the US, is based on Taiwan’s continued investment at home. This comes after calls by US officials to move semiconductor production further away from the Chinese coast. According to US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, having all that semiconductor manufacturing “80 miles from China” is just “illogical”. It’s also just as illogical to move out high-tech infrastructure built over decades in a span of few years. Lutnick has claimed that his personal goal by the time he leaves office is for the US to have a 40% market share in leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing.

Shorts

1. K-Pop Demon Hunters sequel confirmed

   Mark Sonnenblick, songwriter for the hit animated film K-Pop Demon Hunters, confirmed that a sequel to Netflix’s most-watched film is “in process”. Creator Maggie Kang had already said there was more to be done with the characters in the film. Sonnenblick said that there was going to be a whole development process before they could get deep into writing the songs, adding that the music would follow from the story.

2. SpaceX says moon base first

   SpaceX founder Elon Musk announced that the firm has shifted its focus to building a “self-growing city” on the moon, which he said can be achieved in less than 10 years. This is not to say that Musk is giving up on a city on Mars. He said that the “overriding priority” is securing the future of civilisation, and that the Moon was a faster way of reaching that goal. This represents a pivot from Musk’s long-standing focus on Mars. Previously, he had announced that SpaceX was looking to launch an uncrewed Mars mission by the end of 2026.

5. FOR YOUR EYES 📺

Talking Money

1. Interview with CEO of Kopi Kenangan, Indonesia’s largest coffee chain. Watch here.

2. Which is the most charitable Bursa-listed company? The top 20 collectively donated RM361.42 mil in 2024, down slightly from RM381 mil the year before. An analysis by Wiki Impact.

3. Forbes 30 under 30 never fail to amaze - for the wrong reasons.