☕️ Scandal combo: Not done with corruption scandal, military now faces ‘clubbing’ scandal

1. MARKET SUMMARY 📈

2. NUMBERS AT A GLANCE 🔢

USD50 mil (RM203.8 mil). That is the prize for the winner of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This also marks a new record for the winner’s cut of the prize money. According to FIFA, the total prize fund for the 2026 World Cup, to be held in the US, Canada, and Mexico, is USD655 mil, a 50% increase from the previous World Cup in Qatar. However, this is still lower than the less-hyped FIFA Club World Cup, which had a total prize fund of USD1 bil and a top prize of USD125 mil.

Want a ticket to the grand final of the 2026 World Cup? Better be prepared to fork over at least GBP3,119 (RM17,059) for the cheapest ticket, about seven times higher than in Qatar in 2022. The pricing structure for the tickets to the 2026 World Cup has come under fire, with even Group Stage tickets costing up to three times the prices of those for Qatar. The Football Supporters’ Association has called the prices ‘scandalous’ and is calling on other national associations to stand up for supporters and challenge the high ticket prices. Still, there have been over five million requests for tickets on the first day of the ticketing phase, despite the growing criticism.

Erling Haaland, now 25 years old, is now the 35th footballer to join the Premier League’s ‘100 Club’ by reaching 100 goals in the competition. Haaland, who plays for Manchester City Football Club, scored his 100th goal in his 111th game, beating Alan Shearer’s previous record in 1995, when Shearer scored his 100th goal in his 124th game. Haaland’s current contract with Manchester City is also a record nine-and-a-half-year deal, which will run through to the end of the 2033-34 season.

Meet the human landscaping expert

Nateskin - Manscaping Made Simple
Everyone talks about big wins in money, career, and productivity - but small habits compound quietly. Grooming is one of them.

Nateskin builds everyday grooming tools for men who want clean trims and smooth shaves without tugging, nicking, or pain - even on sensitive areas. From precision trimmers to waterproof shavers, their tools are designed to remove friction from your routine.

Less effort. More comfort. More confidence.

Special for The Coffee Break readers: use TCB15 code to get 15% discount sitewide.

Shop here now.

*T&C apply

3. IN MALAYSIA 🇲🇾

PMX New Year’s Announcement
Some highlights of the good news from PM Anwar yesterday:

PM term limited to 10 years: Putrajaya is preparing to table a bill that would cap the prime minister’s tenure at two terms or a maximum of 10 years. However, this term limit won’t affect state leaders (i.e. chief ministers, mentri besars) PM Anwar Ibrahim said the proposed law will be brought to Parliament this year as part of the Madani administration’s broader institutional reform push. He said the move aims to encourage leadership renewal and strengthen democratic checks. Other long-awaited reforms are also in the pipeline, including a bill to separate the Attorney General’s Chambers from the public prosecutor’s office, alongside a Freedom of Information Bill and an ombudsman bill to boost transparency and accountability.

More cash aid starting Jan 9: The government will begin rolling out a new round of Rahmah assistance this month. Anwar said RM200 will be credited into the MyKad of eligible Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah recipients starting January 9, followed by RM500 cash payments into bank accounts on January 20. This will be followed by the RM100 Sumbangan Asas Rahmah aid, which will be credited to all Malaysians aged 18 and above from February 9, ahead of Ramadan and Chinese New Year. The aid can be used to buy essential items at over 4,000 outlets nationwide. This time around, Anwar said participating retailers won’t be limited to the big boys and will open to new registration for small retailers, with a target of 10,000 additional shops to participate. Anwar said the Rahmah assistance programmes had recorded a 96% utilisation rate, adding that RM150 mil in unspent Sara funds had been identified, which will be reallocated to vulnerable groups.

Mandatory e-invoicing postponed: Mandatory e-invoicing for companies with annual sales between RM1 mil and RM5 mil has been postponed, despite being scheduled to start on January 1, 2026. Anwar said the decision came after businesses raised concerns about costs and readiness. The government has agreed to extend the transition period by another year without penalties and expand the use of consolidated e-invoicing facilities for certain sectors. At the same time, the service tax on rental services has been reduced from 8% to 6%, with exemptions for micro, small and medium enterprises earning below RM1.5 mil annually.

Visual summary of PM Anwar’s NY speech here and here.

Scandal combo: Not done with corruption scandal, military now faces ‘clubbing’ scandal
With the corruption scandal still brewing hot, now comes another one for the military. The Defence Ministry has ordered an immediate internal investigation following viral allegations of wild parties and sex workers being brought into military camps. In a statement, the ministry said it takes the claims seriously, particularly allegations that unauthorised individuals were allowed into officers’ mess halls and that immoral activities took place inside secure facilities. The probe was triggered by videos and messages circulating on TikTok and Threads, which allegedly show parties held within military premises. Screenshots of messages have also surfaced, claiming junior officers were instructed to provide women for their superiors.

Shorts

1. EVs are safe in floods, TNB says

   Tenaga Nasional Berhad says modern electric vehicles and charging stations are designed to remain safe during floods, with the risk of electric shock kept extremely low. EVs use sealed batteries, insulated high voltage systems and automatic power cut-off features, while charging stations are built to shut down when water is detected. So far, no flood-related electric shock incidents involving EV chargers have been reported in Malaysia.

2. Proper paperwork needed to own exotic pet

   Exotic pets may look cool, but owning them in Malaysia comes with strict rules. Perhilitan says many animals that are listed under the First Schedule (view here, page 69*) of the Wildlife Conservation Act, including pythons, porcupines, otters and civets, require licences or special permits. Anyone found keeping protected wildlife without approval can result in fines of up to RM500,000, jail time, or both.
   *Thinking 6 7? Here is how did this 67 a thing.

3. RM87 mil tender open for managing MySejahtera

   MySejahtera - a name that we have not featured in a long time here. A major RM87 mil tender to run and maintain the MySejahtera system is now open, with bids being accepted until February 23 through the government’s e-perolehan platform. The three-year project will cover software, cybersecurity, data management and system upgrades, as the app continues its shift from a pandemic tool to a broader public healthcare platform. How relevant is the app now and does current usage justify a RM29 mil a year price tag? Btw, Covid-19 was half a decade ago.

4. AROUND THE WORLD 🌎

Spotlight on Venezuela, and which country next

Maduro held at troubled Brooklyn jail before court date
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro went from staying at a Caracas safe house to a Brooklyn jail over the weekend. If that wasn’t bad enough, the jail is the same one that has hosted names like Ghislaine Maxwell and Sean “Diddy” Combs, who have both called the conditions at the Metropolitan Detention Centre, Brooklyn, inhumane. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are being held there pending their trials for drug trafficking charges. The jail is currently the only one for detainees awaiting federal trials in New York City, and has also previously housed former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez, who was recently pardoned by US President Donald Trump. A current inmate is Luigi Mangione, who is awaiting trial after pleading not guilty to killing a UnitedHealth Group executive. See here for the list of charges Maduro faces. There is also speculation that Maduro’s frequent public dancing was a trigger for US military action - watch here.

EU sees opportunity for democratic transition in Venezuela
The EU sees the capture of Maduro as an opportunity for a democratic transition in Venezuela that is led by the Venezuelan people, according to a European Commission spokesperson. The spokesperson also noted that Maduro lacked the legitimacy of a democratically elected leader, but refused to comment on whether the EU thinks Trump was interested in a democratic transition in Venezuela. British PM Keir Starmer believed it was up to the US to justify its actions after capturing Maduro, but stressed that what Venezuela needs is a peaceful transition to democracy, maintaining the British government’s stance on Venezuela. Meanwhile, Hungarian PM Viktor Orban believed the US decision to topple Maduro should have a positive impact on world energy markets, as Venezuela and the US together control up to 50% of the world’s oil reserves. Orban believed that this would result in a more favourable global energy situation for Hungary, considering Hungary is under heavy criticism for continuing to import Russian oil and gas.

What would Beijing do?

Venezuelan strike could embolden China to strengthen Taiwanese claims, but war unlikely
Analysts believe that China could leverage the US attack on Venezuela to strengthen Beijing’s claims over Taiwan and the South China Sea Islands. However, the attack is also unlikely to hasten any potential invasion of Taiwan. Analysts see the attack as cheap ammunition for China to push back against Washington’s consistent, long-standing arguments that Chinese actions violate international law, with the attack damaging Washington’s arguments. They also believe that China sees Taiwan as an internal affair, and so would not be inspired by what the US did to Venezuela.

Maduro capture to test China’s diplomatic push
China’s top diplomat accused the US of acting like a ‘world judge’ by seizing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to put him on trial in New York, with Beijing set to confront Washington at the UN over the move’s legality. Beijing currently follows a policy of non-intervention, but the attack on Venezuela removed the leader of one of China’s ‘all-weather’ strategic partners in South America. This will be a litmus test of Beijing’s assertion that it can play a role in resolving global hotspot issues without taking the military route. Analysts have also noted that China, being the world’s second-largest economy and leading trading partner, will be crucial in marshalling criticism of Washington’s actions. At the same time, the Venezuelan attack, along with Trump’s threat of military action against Colombia and Mexico, could lead to Latin American countries wondering how China’s Global Security Initiative will protect them. The attack itself was already a big blow to China, as Beijing wanted to look like a dependable friend to Venezuela, according to a Chinese government official.

Greenland next on Trump’s list? 
US President Donald Trump has again proposed annexing Greenland, this time directly after Denmark’s leader urged him to stop the threats over the island and give up the fantasy of the US controlling Greenland. Trump told reporters that the US needs Greenland from the standpoint of national security, repeating that the semi-autonomous Danish territory is located strategically for defence purposes and mineral wealth. Danish PM Mette Frederiksen reminded Trump in a public statement that the US has no right to annex Greenland. Greenland also falls under the Kingdom of Denmark, which makes it part of NATO, and therefore covered by the alliance’s security guarantee. This exchange comes in the wake of Trump’s military operation in Venezuela, which has reignited fears that the US may consider the use of force to secure control of Greenland, which Trump has previously refused to rule out.

Read: Was Trump’s attack on Venezuela illegal? What international law says about Maduro’s capture

Shorts

1. Ex-Indonesian minister faces graft charges over Google laptop procurement

   Indonesian prosecutors have filed corruption charges against Nadiem Makarim, the former education minister and co-founder of Gojek. He was charged with improper laptop procurement during the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to USD125.6 mil (RM511 mil) in state losses. Prosecutors said Makarim created tender specifications that only fit the Chrome OS and Chromebook laptop systems to make Google the sole controller of the education ecosystem in Indonesia. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Makarim has denied wrongdoing.

2. Manchester United sacks manager after 14 months

   The football club will be replacing Ruben Amorim with Darren Fletcher in time for the Premier League game against Burnley on Wednesday. This follows strained relations between Amorim and senior Manchester United officials, with Amorim also stating he wanted to work as the club’s manager, and not the coach. Less than 24 hours later, Amorim was let go, four months before the expiry of his 18-month contract.

5. FOR YOUR EYES 📺

1. Why we explode easily towards the people we love most? Psychologists call it ‘emotional suppression’.

2. World’s most valuable media franchises. Actually had a chat recently with someone close about how all these intellectual properties (IPs) and characters sound ridiculous when it was purely a concept, an idea. For example: let’s create a story of 4 mutated turtles that were adopted by a rodent and taught kung fu to fight evil. The point is, crazy ideas always sound ridiculous and stupid on Day 1, but it takes crazy to be successful. Go pursue your crazy.

3. Stranger Things, stranger plotholes.