☕️ Pandan leaves vs cockroaches: fact or fiction?

1. MARKET SUMMARY 📈

2. NUMBERS AT A GLANCE 🔢

26 – That’s the number of planned militant and terrorist attacks thwarted by the Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter Terrorism Division (E8) between 2012 and 2024. According to Deputy Inspector-General of Police Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, the plots were foiled through intelligence-led operations. E8 detected 28 planned attacks, of which 13 involved group-based operations and 15 were lone-wolf plots. Of these, 26 were foiled, but two attacks were carried out. These two incidents were the bombing at a nightclub in Puchong in June 2016 and the attack on the Ulu Tiram police station in Johor in May 2024, which led to the deaths of two police officers.

327 – The police shot and killed that number of criminals across 193 cases between 2015 and 2025, according to Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail. 2016 saw the most cases at 32, followed by 2018 with 26 and 2024 with 25. The criminals killed comprised 172 Malaysians, 68 Indonesians, 24 Vietnamese, 23 from the Philippines, seven from Myanmar, three from Africa, two from Bangladesh and one from Thailand. However, there were 27 cases where the nationality of the criminal could not be determined. The minister added that police only open fire to stop dangerous criminals, in self-defence when the suspect acts aggressively, or to preserve public order when the suspect refuses to surrender.

17,609 – That’s the number of rape cases investigated by police nationwide between 2015 and 2025. According to the Home Ministry, 7,090 of these cases were brought to court. The statistics showed that Selangor recorded the highest number of cases at 3,392, followed by Johor with 2,006 and Sabah with 1,817. The data was provided in a written parliamentary reply following a request on the high-profile case of sexual assault survivor Loh Wai Mun. The ministry stated that no reinvestigation was conducted in Loh’s case, as the decision to reduce the charge against her attacker from rape to a lesser offence was made under the discretion of the Attorney General to “ensure a higher probability of conviction in court”.

3. IN MALAYSIA 🇲🇾

Lynas gets 10-year licence with tighter rules
Stricter waste conditions until 2036: Lynas Rare Earths has secured a fresh 10-year operating licence for its rare earths plant in Gebeng, extending its stay in Malaysia from Mar 3, 2026 to Mar 2, 2036, under far stricter conditions. Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang said the renewal under the Atomic Energy Licensing Act 1984 requires production of Water Leach Purification residue to cease by 2031.

Any residue generated within the first five years must be neutralised to below one becquerel (definition here) per gram before being placed in the existing permanent disposal facility, which is about 75% complete and expected to be ready by the end of 2026. Chang stressed no new disposal facility will be built after this and confirmed Malaysia will not require Lynas to ship the residue back to Australia. Compliance will be closely monitored by authorities, with radiation and environmental data made publicly accessible through the national monitoring system.

The tighter terms follow years of public scrutiny over the plant’s radioactive waste management. Environmental groups and local residents had raised concerns, drawing comparisons to the long-closed rare earth refinery in Bukit Merah, Perak, which required extensive clean-up. Lynas has consistently rejected these comparisons, maintaining that its residue is significantly less radioactive and managed according to regulatory standards.

Strategic industry with added R&D push: The renewal provides certainty for Lynas, which runs the largest rare earth processing facility outside China and is currently the only non-Chinese commercial producer of separated rare earth materials used in electric vehicles and advanced technologies. As part of the licence, Lynas must continue allocating 1% of annual gross sales to research and development and ensure successful laboratory results are translated into commercial and industrial applications with local institutions. The extension also comes as the company pledges a RM500 mil investment into a new rare earth separation facility in Malaysia, positioning the country as a key player in a sector shaped by global trade tensions and supply security concerns.

PM term limit bill falls just short
A proposed constitutional amendment to limit the PM’s tenure to 10 years failed at its second reading in the Dewan Rakyat, missing the required two-thirds majority by two votes. Speaker Johari Abdul said 146 MPs supported the bill, while 32 were absent and 44 abstained. PM Anwar Ibrahim, who tabled the bill, said the amendment would not affect the powers of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or Parliament’s authority to determine confidence in the government, instead describing it as a move to strengthen accountability without altering the appointment structure. Minister in the PM’s Department for Law and Institutional Reform Azalina Othman reiterated that the King’s power to appoint a PM would remain unchanged. Opposition leaders including Hamzah Zainudin and Takiyuddin Hassan argued that imposing a fixed term could undermine royal discretion, as the Constitution does not set time limits on the King’s choice. In addition, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has described the proposal as cosmetic and called for a Political Funding Act first while other MPs suggested separating the roles of prime minister and finance minister.

Pandan leaves vs cockroaches: fact or fiction?
It is common in Malaysia to find pandan leaves on car dashboards or hanging from rear-view mirrors, with many motorists believing the fragrant plant keeps cockroaches away. Research conducted by the School of Biological Sciences at the National University of Singapore found that certain elements extracted from the pandan leaves showed repellency rates of 65% to 93% against cockroaches. The leaves contain essential oils such as linalool, largely responsible for the insect-repelling effect.

However, not all preparations work the same way. Some extracts, including acetone pandan extract and undiluted crude aqueous extract, actually attract cockroaches, recording at least 62% attractancy in tests. Researchers concluded that while pandan has potential as a natural and environmentally friendly pest control option, the concentration required to be effective is far higher than what a few fresh leaves in a vehicle release. As the leaves dry, their essential oils decrease further, reducing any repellent effect. Pandan extracts are generally less effective than commercial cockroach repellents. Remembering the nostalgic smell of pandan wafting in the car during my childhood.

KLIA T1 remains steady amid Middle East flight chaos
Operations at KLIA Terminal 1 remained orderly on Mar 2, even as thousands of flights were cancelled worldwide following escalating conflict in the Middle East. Most departing flights were bound for Asian destinations including Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, China and Nepal, while arrivals were largely from regional cities such as Phuket, Lombok, Manila and Surabaya. Notably, there were no selected flights operating directly to or from Middle Eastern destinations. Passenger traffic appeared lighter than usual, with no reports of stranded travellers and airport staff carrying out duties normally.

Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) confirmed that 26 flights, comprising 13 departures and 13 arrivals, had been cancelled, involving several Middle East routes and several long-haul services requiring airspace adjustments. The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia said airlines may face delays, rerouting or further cancellations due to restricted airspace in parts of the Middle East. Major carriers including Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways and Saudia have postponed or cancelled flights since the weekend, following military strikes involving the US, Israel and Iran on Saturday.

4. AROUND THE WORLD 🌎

More nations embroiled in US-Iran conflict
Israel attacks Lebanon in response to Hezbollah strikes, widening conflict
Israel retaliated against Hezbollah, opening a major new front in the US-Iran conflict, with sweeping airstrikes a response to missiles and drones launched by Hezbollah. Hezbollah’s strikes were themselves retaliation for Israel’s attacks on Iran. Israel’s attacks on Hezbollah left 31 killed and 149 injured according to an initial tally. The Israeli military said the strikes also killed Hussein Makled, who served as the head of Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters. Lebanese PM Nawaf Salam responded by declaring a ban on Hezbollah’s military activities.

Trump risks political midterms by pressing the attack
US President Donald Trump pressed ahead with the attack on Iran, which killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, despite private warnings from senior aides that the escalation could be difficult to contain. They also warned him that the move would carry political risks for Republicans in November’s midterm elections. The assault on Iran, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, followed Trump's repeated requests for briefings on how the foreign action would allow him to project strength domestically, with the president ultimately siding with those who believed decisive action would portray him as a strong leader despite the long-term risks. A poll showed that only about one in four Americans approved of the US strikes. However, the poll closed before the US military announced the first American casualties in the operation. According to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Operation Epic Fury has been considered by presidents from both parties for more than 50 years.

Trump has also been calling upon the Iranian people to “seize this moment” and take back the country, but US officials familiar with US intelligence said there is serious scepticism that Iran’s battered opposition can topple the entrenched theocratic and authoritarian governing system that has been in place since 1979. While not impossible, such an outcome appears unlikely in the near term. It was previously reported that CIA assessments concluded that if Khamenei were killed, he could be replaced by hardline figures from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps or equally hardline clerics.

Kuwait shoots down three US fighter jets in friendly-fire incident
The friendly-fire incident saw Kuwait’s air defences mistakenly shoot down three US F-15 fighter jets during active combat. All six crew members reportedly ejected from the aircraft safely, were recovered and are in stable condition. This marks the first downing of US aircraft since the US-Israeli war against Iran began. Kuwait has acknowledged the incident, and an investigation is underway. Check out the footage:

Trump floats idea of ‘friendly takeover’ of Cuba
Elsewhere, Trump has raised the prospect of a “friendly takeover” of Cuba, telling reporters that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was dealing with the issue at a “very high level”. He said that the Cuban government was in “a big deal of trouble” and was talking to the US as “they have no money, no anything right now”. Trump went on to describe Cuba as a failing nation in need of change. The Cuban government has said it is not in any high-level talks with the US, but has not outright denied press reports that US officials may be in informal talks with Raúl Guillermo Rodriguez Castro, the grandson of former Cuban President Raúl Castro.

Business
Netflix walks away from Warner Bros. deal, sees share price surge
Netflix’s shares jumped more than 10% on Friday following its decision not to match Paramount’s latest USD31 (about RM122) per share bid for Warner Bros. Discovery or raise its offer of USD27.75 per share. Netflix said the deal was “no longer financially attractive”. According to a joint statement by Netflix’s co-CEOs, the transaction was “nice-to-have at the right price, but not a must-have at any price”. However, it was later reported that there was more to the fiscal discipline shown by the co-CEOs. Not only were shareholders deeply sceptical of the deal, reflected by a 30% decline in share price since Netflix announced its bid, Netflix’s commitment to the deal reportedly wavered after Paramount came in with an increased offer and seemed willing to go several more rounds in a bidding war. If even Trump is warning you not to overpay, it might be a good idea to listen.

Prediction markets see legality questioned in wake of Iran wagers
Prediction markets offering tradable yes-or-no contracts allow users to bet on a wide range of real-world events, with bet costs ranging from zero to 100 US cents and typically pay USD1 (RM3.93) to successful bettors when an outcome is confirmed. However, such markets face fresh scrutiny in the wake of wagers placed on the timing of US attacks on Iran and the removal of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei from power.

A total of USD259 mil (RM1.02 bil) was laid on a series of Polymarket contracts tied to the timing of attacks. Reports said six accounts on the prediction market made a USD1.2 mil profit from bets made hours before the attacks. Under US law, wagers contrary to the public interest, such as those that involve war or assassination, are prohibited, and US lawmakers have raised concerns that prediction markets have breached the rules. Such markets have exploded in popularity since the 2024 US election, and saw USD47 bil in global trading volume in 2025.

Indonesia seizes 5 mil hectares of palm oil plantations
The seizure of palm oil plantations and industrial forest concessions follows allegations of legal violations that saw more than 100 companies fined. Indonesia’s forestry task force has so far collected IDR7.39 tril (RM1.7 bil) in fines from 51 palm oil companies. A further 20 companies have agreed to pay a total of IDR2.78 tril in fines, while 34 others have filed objections. Some of the firms contesting the fines claim authorities have overestimated the amount of land involved, while others simply do not have the means to pay.

5. FOR YOUR EYES 📺

Things we put into our mouth

1. How the type of food for breakfast affects your kids’ attention.

2. Mouthwash - to use, or not to use.

3. Interesting read on the how of our water tastes.