☕️ Seputeh MP Teresa Kok’s ex-aide charged with graft and cheating

1. MARKET SUMMARY 📈

2. NUMBERS AT A GLANCE 🔢

20,014 cases – This is the total number of domestic violence cases recorded between 2023 and 2025. There is an upward trend over the past three years with 5,507 cases recorded in 2023, 7,116 in 2024, and 7,391 in 2025. Women, Family and Community Development Minister Nancy Shukri said these were just the reported cases, and the actual number could be higher as some incidents may go unreported. There is also currently no specific system under the ministry to track and record repeat offenders in such cases. PSA: If you feel you need help escaping an abusive partner, the Women’s Aid Organisation has a 24-hour SMS/WhatsApp number at 018 988 8058. If you suspect someone is stuck in an abusive situation, dial 999 for the nearest police station.

363,817 calls – According to Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Director Commissioner Rusdi Mohd Isa, the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) recorded that many calls, between Oct 12, 2022, and Mar 31, 2026. The calls led to 77,771 police reports involving 296,567 bank accounts identified to be involved in online scams. The commissioner added that the losses incurred by victims who reported to the NSRC in that period totalled about RM1.05 bil. Police reported that RM29.12 mil in funds were seized (~3% recovery rate), with RM9.2 mil returned to victims. In the first three months of the year alone, 11,486 reports were recorded from 55,619 calls, resulting in RM4.2 mil in seized funds, of which RM1.9 mil was returned to victims. Another PSA: If you think you might be a scam victim, call the NSRC at 997 as soon as possible.

One in every five Malaysians – Diabetes cases have continued to rise in Malaysia, with about 21% of the population recorded as diabetic in 2024, up from 12.1% in 2011. The National Health and Morbidity Survey 2023 reported that almost 3.6 mil Malaysians, or one in six adults, were diabetic, with 40% not knowing they had the disease. Multiple large-scale peer-reviewed studies have established a clear link between high white rice consumption and elevated risk of Type 2 diabetes, particularly among Asian populations. Researchers advised replacing highly polished white rice with other cereals or healthier grain alternatives. One more PSA: Get your medical checkup done regularly.

3. IN MALAYSIA 🇲🇾

KJ still wants PM job but says it’s no longer everything
Khairy Jamaluddin (KJ) has said he still has ambitions of becoming PM but is no longer fixated on what he once described as a lifelong goal, following a shift in mindset after spending time away from active politics. He said he once saw not becoming PM as a personal failure but now believes it does not define his worth. While he remains open to leadership roles, he said he is no longer rushing towards the position and is instead taking a more gradual political path.

KJ, who challenged Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for the Umno presidency in 2018, also reflected on his return to Umno after submitting an appeal earlier this year following his expulsion in 2023. He said he had considered forming a new political party but chose not to, as it could further fragment the Malay political landscape, which is already divided across Umno, PAS, Amanah and Pejuang. He described Umno as a natural political home and said there was no need to build a new platform when an existing one is available. Instead, he said he will continue pushing for internal reforms within the party, but through a more careful approach that respects party sensitivities.

Caught in the act: bribe edition
Teresa Kok’s ex-aide charged with graft and cheating: A former aide to DAP leader Teresa Kok has been charged in Kuala Lumpur with cheating and graft linked to a smart board project in the Seputeh area. Edmund Teoh Kheng Yaik, 39, claimed trial to two charges before Sessions Court judge Suzana Hussin. He is accused of misleading Kok in June 2024 by claiming that only two schools had applied for interactive smart board assistance, when in fact 16 schools had submitted applications. Prosecutors say this led to approval being channelled through the My-Khas system for the Mesra Rakyat Parlimen Seputeh project. He also faces a separate charge of receiving a RM500,000 bribe in Aug 2024 linked to the supply of smart boards through a company connected to his wife. Bail was set at RM60,000 with conditions including passport surrender and monthly reporting to the MACC.

Islamic finance figure charged in RM10 Mil CBT case: In a separate case, Islamic finance figure Dr Mohd Daud Bakar, 62, has been charged alongside company director Norliza Tajudin, 54, with seven counts of criminal breach of trust involving more than RM10 mil. The charges relate to funds allegedly misused between June 2021 and May 2024 while both were directors and shareholders of Energy Eco Bhd, which was meant to channel investments into a shariah-compliant glove manufacturing expansion. The funds reportedly involved several parties including Koperasi Perumahan Sentul and Myad Capital Sdn Bhd. Mohd Daud, a former chairman of the shariah advisory councils for Bank Negara Malaysia and the Securities Commission, had earlier been charged in Feb over alleged unauthorised securities trading involving AUF MBZ Consortium PLT.

All about the biz
Hantavirus fears spark glove buying frenzy: Glove stocks in Malaysia rose sharply on May 11, with Top Glove Corp Bhd up 13%, Hartalega Holdings Bhd and Supermax Corp Bhd gaining 11% each, and Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd rising 7% in active trading. The rise was driven by expectations of better earnings, higher selling prices, and tighter supply in the market. Investors were also reacting to concerns that hantavirus outbreaks could increase demand for gloves. Analysts said supply has tightened due to chemical shortages and the shutdown of WRP Asia Pacific, which removed about 11 bil gloves’ worth of production capacity.

SkyeChip IPO draws record oversubscription: SkyeChip Bhd’s initial public offering saw very strong demand, with applications exceeding the shares offered by 95.03 times before its listing on the Main Market. The company received orders worth RM3.04 bil for just 35.92 mil shares offered to the Malaysian public, marking the strongest IPO demand since the listing of Petronas Chemicals Group Bhd in 2010. Retail demand was especially strong, with the public portion oversubscribed 153.86 times. The Bumiputera tranche was oversubscribed 36.21 times, while institutional and book-building portions were fully taken up. Shares were priced at RM0.88 each, with allotment notices expected by May 18, 2026.

MIDF launches first IP-backed financing deal: MIDF has also approved Malaysia’s first intellectual property-backed financing under a World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)-linked pilot programme. A Malaysian SME secured funding using its intellectual property assets as part of its credit assessment, supported by specialised valuation and risk analysis methods. The RM10 mil initiative, backed by SME Corporation Malaysia, aims to support innovation-driven businesses that struggle with traditional collateral and to build a framework for recognising intangible assets in lending decisions. In other words, you can take soft assets like copyright, patent, trademark and pledge those as collateral to borrow from the bank.

Malaysia eyes self-driving cars by 2030
Malaysia is targeting Level 3 autonomous driving capability by 2030 as the government pushes the automotive industry to prepare for a major shift in mobility, according to Investment, Trade and Industry Deputy Minister Sim Tze Tzin. Level 3 systems allow vehicles to handle certain driving tasks on their own, but drivers must still take over when required. He said the transition will require a full ecosystem upgrade, including stronger local supply chains for chips, sensors and software, along with improved road infrastructure and signage. The Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute has been tasked with leading the initiative, while agencies such as the Public Works Department will support infrastructure readiness.

4. AROUND THE WORLD 🌎

“TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE” - Trump's response to Iran’s deal
After waiting for a while, Trump finally got a response from Iran about the US proposal. And he was not happy, as he posted on his X account: “totally unacceptable”. It’s not hard to see why. Iran is demanding compensation for war damages and has emphasised that it has sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. While the current ceasefire has largely been observed, both sides traded blows last week. This is not good news for the global oil markets, as the Strait of Hormuz crisis has disrupted about 20% of the global supply. Meanwhile, defence ministers from 40 countries are coming together to discuss how to protect shipping through the strait, in talks led by the United Kingdom.

Iran counters by claiming that the U.S. is “Unreasonable”
From the other side, Iran’s thoughts on the U.S. proposal can be summed up as “unreasonable” and “one-sided”, according to the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Iran has described its own proposal as generous and legitimate to end the conflict and demanded the release of Iranian assets that have been frozen in banks. In response to other countries coming together to discuss how to protect shipping through the strait, Iran basically warned them to “refrain from making any move that would undermine their interests.” For these countries, however, they might not have a choice as they rely heavily on crude oil and natural gas flowing through the strait.

Modi wants Indians to buy less gold and fuel
High gold and fuel prices are hitting India hard. And Prime Minister Narendra Modi is urging Indians to buy less of them for at least a year to preserve their forex reserves. Gold is India’s largest import category, followed by oil. In fact, India is the world’s second-largest importer of gold bullion, as much as USD72 bil in 2025, roughly accounting for 9% of the nation’s total imports.

To make matters worse, it has been reported that firms struggle to import gold due to ‘administrative bottlenecks’. However, gold is such a big part of Indian society that reducing purchases of it might be hard to do.

Meanwhile, the fuel supply strain caused by the crisis in the Middle East have prompted Modi to call for Indians to use public transportation, work from home, and carpool, among other initiatives currently being promoted by the Indian government.

ASEAN leaders
Thaksin Shinawatra released from prison
The controversial Thai ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra was released early from prison. He had been serving his sentence after being found guilty of corruption in Sept 2025. His daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who is now also an ex-PM, greeted him along with many of his supporters in the Pheu Thai party. Paetongtarn was sacked in Aug 2025, after she called the Cambodian leader, Hun Sen, ‘uncle’ in a leaked phone call.

Questions are now rife as to whether the Thaksin family intends to dive back into politics. Pheu Thai is still very popular in the rural areas, but its popularity has declined in the recent Feb election. Thaksin’s sentence was originally eight years, but he received a royal commutation. He will have to be careful, though. There are still pending criminal charges against him. Not entirely a free man, yet.

Philippine lawmakers impeach VP Sara Duterte
Vice President Sara Duterte is not having a great day as 255 out of 318 Philippine lawmakers backed a petition to impeach her for misusing public funds, accumulating unexplained wealth and threatening President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, his wife and the former House Speaker. Duterte would now have to face a trial in the senate with its members as jurors. If convicted, she would not be able to run for President in 2028 and could be banned from politics. Of course, Sara’s legal team has branded it as ‘defective’ and a ‘fishing expedition’ and denies any wrongdoing.

However, the plot thickens. A motion was passed in the Upper Senate to remove the current President and replace him with Alan Peter Cayetano. Alan is considered a loyalist in the Duterte family. Politics in the Philippines just got spicier.

Shorts:

1. “Don’t use my face to sell TVs”, Dua Lipa sues Samsung
   It turns out Samsung has been allegedly selling its TVs with Dua Lipa’s image plastered all over its cardboard packaging, without paying her. So, she’s suing the South Korean chaebol for USD15 mil (RM58.84 mil). According to Dua Lipa, she was made aware of this back in June 2025 and had told Samsung to stop doing it. Samsung ‘repeatedly refused’. The reason? Unsure for now as Samsung has yet to respond to requests for comment.

2. Alibaba wants you to shop through a chatbot
   Instead of typing in a keyword in the search bar, Alibaba now wants you to use its chatbot to shop on its Taobao and Tmall platforms. It is a massive change in how Alibaba wants to sell its platform services. Alibaba is investing a whopping USD52 bil (RM203.97 bil) into AI, as the company intends to integrate Qwen, its AI model, into all its business ecosystem. Earlier in the year, it collaborated with China Eastern Airlines to allow users to book flight tickets through a chatbot.

5. FOR YOUR EYES 📺

1. A day in the life of a top Korean plastic surgeon in Gangnam.

2. Interesting facts on blood type. Heard of golden blood type? Here’s what happens when you get the wrong type of blood during a transfusion.

3. The insane strength of MRI machine. If you are wondering, why iron in your body is not affected by an MRI - read here.