☕️ MY Shenanigan Series: ‘Contractor Cartel’ and ‘Roadblock Protection’ Syndicate

1. MARKET SUMMARY 📈

2. NUMBERS AT A GLANCE 🔢

About 400 mil pilgrims are expected to take part at the Hindu festival of Kumbh Mela (aka Mahakumbh) - dubbed as humanity’s biggest gathering, which is so large that it can be seen from space. The festival takes place in northern India’s Prayagraj city and is held once every 12 years and lasts for 45 days and concludes on Feb 26. Over the next 6 weeks, the devout will bathe at Sungam - the confluence of India’s most sacred Ganges river with the Yamuna river and the mythical Saraswati - believing it will cleanse them of sins, purify their soul and liberate them from the cycle of birth and death.

425,000 individuals from the Netherlands were suspected of collaborating with the Nazis during World War II. For the first time, they have been revealed online, offering a window into one of history’s darkest chapters. These people were investigated under a special legal system post-WWII. Of them, over 150,000 were punished for their actions, but many were found innocent, underscoring the complexity of this archive. The archive also includes files on the 20,000 Dutch people who joined the German army, as well as those unfairly accused and later cleared.

585 events put together by the 2025 SEA Games organisers are set to offer the most gold medals ever contested at the Games, which will be held in Thailand (Bangkok, Chonburi, Songkhla) from Dec 9 - 20. To put that in perspective, the Paris 2024 Olympics featured just 329 events. This year’s additions include the 3,000m steeplechase and 20km race walk, bringing athletics medals to 47. A minimum of 4 countries must participate for any sport/event to be contested. Malaysia will be hoping for a rebound after their worst performance ever in Cambodia last year, finishing 7th with just 34 golds.

3. IN MALAYSIA 🇲🇾

Govt tries shutting down public talk of Najib’s house arrest addendum
The government and Federal Territory Pardons Board, alongside unnamed parties, represented by senior federal counsel Shamdul Bolhassan today, presented the want for a gag and prohibitive order on the addendum pertaining to Former PM Najib Razak’s house arrest and effectively, shutting down speech and action disclosing information about the case. Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, Najib Razak’s lawyer, objected to this. Citing PM Anwar Ibrahim’s public discussion of the case, the “horses have bolted from the barn.” Judge Hayatul Akmal then told Shamdul Bolhassan to file a formal application by Jan 20.

‘Contractor Cartel’ and ‘Roadblock Protection’ Syndicate

• ‘Contractor Cartel’ within MRSM
  Maktab Rendah Sains Mara’s (MRSM) chairman, Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, exposed the existence of a ‘contractor cartel’ within the organisation. While an MRSM typically prioritises companies closer to the involved party, contractors have been found to list their own addresses significantly nearer than they should be, essentially providing false details when making applicaitons. The chairman names it, “a matter of fraud”.

• Syndicate potentially earns RM100k monthly selling ‘roadblock protection’ stickers alone
  A syndicate operating in different zones of an unknown number of areas has been exposed for selling ‘roadblock protection’ stickers, specifically targeting heavy vehicles, especially trailers and tipper lorries. These stickers grant the operator immunity from any crime or offence, recognised by corrupt enforcement officers and syndicate members alike, granting the vehicle passage without inspection at roadblocks.

  Prices per sticker depend on the vehicle’s weight and the sticker’s specific zone. However, it has been reported that they are priced at RM1k per vehicle, and many operators purchase multiple stickers per vehicle for each zone. Fleets of lorries in the tens could rack up the syndicates RM100k monthly per zone.

  The sticker’s zone of origin is also a limiting one. An operator with a sticker from Klang who suddenly enters Petaling Jaya may be stopped, as the sticker is only recognised by the Klang syndicate.

KK Mart: After socks, now sandwiches controversy
KK Mart finds itself in a new controversy, involving ham and cheese sandwiches with a halal logo on them, leading to 2 of its outlets in Universiti Malaya being shut down. The controversial ham is made from chicken, with the cold cut itself being halal certified, according to the convenience store chain. However, Jakim said the sandwich as a whole and the company that made it does not have halal certification, in response to the halal logo being placed on the packaging.

KK Mart in a statement identified the sandwiches were made by Shake and Bake Cafe Sdn Bhd and were sold on multiple platforms. The company had produced the halal certificates for the chicken ham and cheese slices used but was not authorised to use KK Mart’s logo on the packaging. KK Mart has filed a police report and intends to take legal action against the company.

Misuse of the halal logo is an offence under the Trade Descriptions Act and is punishable with a fine of up to RM100,000 or jail for up to 3 years, or both.

Shorts

1. PM Anwar states over RM20 mil will be given to Chinese private schools, as the Federal Government has approved this allocation for the 63 Chinese private schools (average RM317.5k per school) nationwide this year. RM19.84 mil is to be split up between 62 of those, whilst RM1 mil is reserved for Jit Sin Private Secondary School, Anwar’s former place of work as a substitute teacher before his studies at the University of Malaya. He calls the approved allocation a sign of the government’s appreciation of the school’s services to the country.

2. The daughter of DPM Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Datuk Nurul Hidayah, has been appointed to the board of directors of UPM (University Putra Malaysia). A letter sighted by The Star states her appointment as a member of the Board of Directors of UPM, referencing her capability to contribute and lead UPM to achieving greatness and progress.

3. The potential ‘gang hit’ victim in Johor Bahru’s funeral today received the grandest of processions, with over 1,500 mourners. The 42-year-old was apparently also a prominent figure in the state and a leader of a religious association. Three funeral lions decked in colours of silver and black led the ceremony, and the funeral procession began at 4pm. His coffin was carried for 1km by 20 men on bamboo poles, flanked by over 100 wreaths. The man was shot 8 times in front of a restaurant in Taman Setia Indah while he was talking on the phone.

4. AROUND THE WORLD 🌎

Final_Final_Gaza Truce_(draft)_actual final

Is it really the final draft, though?
Israel and Hamas have received a “final draft” of a deal to end the war in Gaza from mediator Qatar. This followed a late-night “breakthrough” in talks between Hamas and Israel with the attendance of incoming US envoy Steve Witkoff and Qatar’s prime minister, as well as the chiefs of Israel’s Mossad and Shin Bet spy agencies. An official close to the discussion shared that the next 24 hours will be “pivotal to reaching the deal”. Remember all those document versions saved?

Angry families besiege Smotrich
Family members of hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza have gone up to Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, attacking him with anger and pleas while accusing him of “abandoning the 98 Israeli and foreign hostages still left in Gaza”. Smotrich is against the truce deal, calling it a “catastrophe” for Israel’s security and for Israel to continue its campaign in Gaza until the complete surrender of Hamas. Hopefully, this will help silence one more voice against the deal.

Syrian relief?
Meanwhile, six member states of the EU have called for a temporary suspension of sanctions on Syria following the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad. However, Syria is expected to meet EU expectations of respect for human rights and minorities. Otherwise, further sanctions may not be lifted, and a snapback mechanism could be applied to previous sanctions. This follows the US issuing a sanctions exemption for transactions with Syrian governing institutions for six months to facilitate humanitarian assistance.

Iran inks strategic partnership pact
Elsewhere, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will be meeting Russian President Putin in Russia later this week to sign a comprehensive strategic partnership pact. They will also be exploring other options for further expanding ties, including in trade and investment transport and logistics, and humanitarian efforts. On a side note, Putin is also expected to chat with President-elect Trump “soon” about the war in Ukraine and ending it diplomatically.

Controlling dangerous substances

• Saudi Arabia looks to uranium as a possible revenue source
  This is part of the country’s plan to monetise all minerals in the country. According to Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, the uranium will be enriched and sold as a “yellowcake”. Saudi Arabia has a nuclear programme that it wishes to expand to include uranium enrichment, with the administration looking to nuclear energy to diversify its power mix.

• UK launches first drug consumption room

  The room, called the Thistle, represents a place where clients can legally inject illegally bought heroin or cocaine under medical supervision without fear of prosecution. The Thistle was funded by the Scottish government with the goal of reducing overdoses and drug-related harm while making drug use less visible to the community. The UK has indicated it had no plans to introduce other consumption rooms.

• Thai Cabinet approves casino bill

  The approval in principle was for a bill looking to legalise casinos, pitched as an initiative to boost tourism while tackling illegal gambling in Thailand. The legislation is to be scrutinised by the Council of State before it can be sent to the lower house of Parliament. Should the bill be approved, large venues, which feature hotels, convention centres, and amusement parks, will be allowed to house casinos. An analyst indicated Thailand could emerge as a major player in the global gaming industry. So Genting, basically.

An acquisition, a lawsuit, and new US chip regulations

• Johnson & Johnson to buy drugmaker in USD14.6 bil deal

  The acquisition will see neurological drugmaker Intra-Cellular Therapies being acquired for USD14.6 bil, Johnson & Johnson’s biggest deal in at least two years. The deal will see a boost in Johnson & Johnson’s drugs and medical devices businesses, while also strengthening its presence in the market for brain disease treatments. Johnson & Johnson expects to fund the acquisition through a combination of cash on hand and debt, with the deal likely to close later this year.

• Apple faces USD1.8 bil lawsuit in UK over alleged overpricing

  A mass lawsuit accused the tech giant of “abusing its dominant position” by charging developers an unfair 30% commission through its App Store, costing British consumers up to USD1.8 bil. Apple has called the mass lawsuit – made on behalf of about 20 million iPhone and iPad users in the UK – meritless, adding that it overlooks the benefits to the consumers of the integrated approach of its iOS operating system.

• US issues new restrictions on AI chip exports

  The new restrictions will further restrict AI chips and tech exports as the US seeks to keep advanced computing power to itself and its allies while denying it to China. A cap will be applied to the number of AI chips that can be exported to most countries, with unlimited access for the US’ closest allies. These restrictions have led to chipmaker and data centre shares slipping, as they alter the landscape for AI chips and data centres around the world. Nvidia has called the restrictions “sweeping overreach”, claiming the White House would be clamping down on technology that is “already available in mainstream gaming PCs and consumer hardware”.

Shorts:

1. Norway on track to be the first all-EV nation

   Norway’s population of 5.5 million has adopted EVs faster than any other country, positioning Norway as the closest country to phasing out the sale of new fossil fuel cars first. While undoubtedly a pioneer in EV adoption, the “revolution” is said to be decades in the making, starting in the early 1990s, when taxation for petrol and diesel cars started to increase over time.

2. Climate activists deface Darwin’s grave

   The activists from Just Stop Oil painted over the naturalist’s grave using spray chalk, writing “1.5 is dead” in reference to recent news that global temperatures in 2024 had exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial era for the first time.

3. Quake hits Japan

   The earthquake that hit the Kyushu region had a preliminary magnitude of 6.9, and authorities have issued tsunami advisories for waves of a maximum height of 1 metre, though a tsunami with a height of 20 centimetres was later reported.

5. FOR YOUR EYES 📺

Today on $$$

1. U so smart, y no rich?

2. The 15 types of rich people. How many have you come across?

3. Delivery runner earning RM10k per month. Payslip-verified by Malaysian Pay Gap.