☕️ Lucky draws - halal or not?

1. MARKET SUMMARY 📈

2. NUMBERS AT A GLANCE 🔢

41,133 – That’s how many Malay students are currently enrolled in Chinese vernacular schools, showing a steady upward trend over the past five years, according to Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek. Malay students currently make up about 9% of total enrolment at Chinese vernacular schools. Malay enrolment at Tamil vernacular schools also increased, with 320 students in 2026 compared with 227 in 2022.

56th – That was Universiti Malaya’s (UM) ranking in the QS World University Rankings, and the highest the local institution has achieved thus far. This also places UM among the top 3.7% of universities worldwide. Among Malaysian institutions, UM ranked first in academic reputation, employer reputation, employment outcomes, and sustainability. View the rankings here.

17 hours – Students in Grades 6 to 11 (aged 12 to 17) in Russia will be receiving at least that many hours of basic military training, making up 50% of the course, “Fundamentals of Homeland Security and Defence”. According to Education Minister Sergei Kravtsov, this is an increase from a previous 20% of the curriculum reserved for such training, which will now also include lessons on uncrewed aerial vehicles and field exercises. The rest of the course contains lessons on Russian military history, civic service, and wartime survival, with older students also taught combat-relevant skills such as first aid, basic firearm handling, and how to use a hand grenade.

3. IN MALAYSIA 🇲🇾

Tengku Zafrul: PM’s Office gave list to appoint contractors
Tengku Zafrul, being the 11th prosecution witness in Muhyiddin’s abuse of power and money laundering trial, told the High Court that dozens of contractors were appointed under the Jana Wibawa programme without any open tender process, following a list that came directly from the Prime Minister’s Office. He said the Finance Ministry did not carry out the selection and was not involved in evaluating or choosing the 54 contractors. According to him, the list was simply forwarded for implementation and did not go through the usual competitive bidding among Bumiputera contractors, which was the intended structure for such government work.

A letter is all it takes: He also testified that a RM100 mil road project linking Felda Bukit Jalor in Gemas was awarded to KCJ Engineering Sdn Bhd through this direct arrangement. Zafrul said the company did not submit any application to him or the Finance Ministry, and the process was driven by a letter from the Prime Minister’s chief private secretary to his senior private secretary in the ministry. The proposal, covering 54 projects under direct negotiation, was then channelled to the Government Procurement Division. He added that as KCJ Engineering did not go through the Contractor Valuation Committee, it would not have been selected under normal procedures, with the Finance Ministry acting mainly as the executing body once conditions were set. KCJ is one of the companies which has been alleged to have funnelled RM800k to Bersatu where Muhyiddn is the president.

Luck and lunacy
Halal lucky draws are allowed: Terengganu Mufti Prof Dr Syed Hadzrullathfi Syed Omar has clarified that lucky draw programmes are permissible in Islam as long as they are free from gambling, deception and hidden charges. In an official letter, he said participants must not pay extra fees to enter, and product prices must not be inflated to cover prizes.

He added that the main purpose of purchase should not be to enter a draw, and all terms must be clear, fair and transparent. The mufti also said prizes must be funded by organisers from legitimate sources, not from participant fees, while any system involving extra payments, coupons or disguised costs could be considered gambling. He stressed that promotional campaigns, especially digital ones, must comply with syariah principles and consumer protection rules, and called for clearer guidelines to avoid confusion.

Interestingly, a lucky draw system can be used to collect more taxes by completely changing the incentives of evading taxes and also turning all consumers into ‘tax auditors’:

Stabbed girl wasn't the intended target: In a separate incident, a Form Three student was stabbed multiple times at school, suffering injuries to her left lung, back, face and lips. Her father, Muhammad Firuz Ibrahim, said the 15-year-old may not have been the intended target and was simply in the wrong place at the time. He said she recognised the suspect, who had been her classmate previously, and believed she was the closest person when the attack happened while others ran away. The suspect, also 15, was detained and a knife believed to have been used in the attack was seized. Police confirmed the suspect entered the school through the main entrance, and the incident was captured in videos circulating online showing students fleeing in panic. Watch incident here - viewer discretion advised.

BNM eyes fairer insurance claims
Bank Negara Malaysia is considering a new “no look back” policy that would stop insurers and takaful operators (ITO) from rejecting medical claims due to conditions that policyholders unintentionally failed to disclose when taking up coverage. The tricky question here is how to prove intentional failure. Deputy Finance Minister Liew Chin Tong said in the Dewan Rakyat that the proposal aims to strengthen protection for policyholders and improve fairness in medical and health insurance and takaful products. He said policyholders should first raise disputes with their ITO, and if unresolved, lodge complaints through BNM Link before escalating it to the Financial Markets Ombudsman Service at no charge.

He added that industry data for 2025 shows insurers maintained an average claims payout of over 90%, with millions of claims approved annually. Liew also said insurers must follow Bank Negara policy documents and cannot cancel or refuse renewal just because a policyholder has made a claim or developed an illness after coverage began. Disputes can also be handled through the Healthcare Partners Protocol and Solutions Committee involving the government, medical sector, insurers and Bank Negara.

Berjaya, Wanli to build RM1.3 bil tyre plant
Berjaya Property Bhd has partnered with China-based Wanli Tire Co Ltd to build a RM1.3 bil automotive tyre manufacturing plant in Selangor through a joint venture involving its subsidiary Alam Baiduri Sdn Bhd (ABSB) and Trusmax Investment Co Ltd. The project will be funded by RM813.35 mil in equity and RM491.45 mil in borrowings, with ABSB holding a 30% stake and Trusmax owning the remaining 70%.

The joint venture will oversee the research, development, design, manufacturing and sale of tyres and related components, as well as after-sales services, drawing on Wanli’s technical expertise. As part of the agreement, ABSB will contribute 67.90 acres of freehold land along Jalan Bukit Tagar, valued at RM118.31 mil. The land is part of a 372.55-acre oil palm plantation with a net book value of RM56.17 mil as at end-June this year. ABSB’s total cash contribution will amount to RM185.70 mil, funded through internal resources and borrowings.

4. AROUND THE WORLD 🌎

World Cup Fever and Drama
High-flyer Haaland and Norway shock Brazil 2-1
Haaland was the hero, scoring twice in the 79th and 90th minutes to knock Brazil out of the World Cup tournament in the Round of 16. However, the sidekick to Haaland was undeniably the goalkeeper, Orjan Nyland, as he pulled out all the stops in the game to prevent Brazil from scoring. He saved a penalty by Guimaraes in the first half and made heroic saves throughout the match to deny Brazil. Brazil resorted to bringing Neymar out in the 67th minute, drawing huge roars from the Brazilian crowd. But even he couldn’t produce the magic as Norway led 2-0 by the 90th minute. Only in the 100th minute did Neymar convert a penalty, but it was all too late for Brazil. Haaland brings his total goal tally to 7 goals, on par with Messi, and will face England in the quarter-finals. Watch highlights here.

The Norwegians celebrated hard, with the military joining the party. Viking row in a jet plane - that’s epic.

Bellingham takes charge in England 3-2 win
For all the criticisms that Bellingham has garnered, he silenced his haters with two goals that were decisive for England at the end of the first half. J Quinones scored shortly after Bellingham’s two goals. In the second half, disaster struck when England’s Jarell Quansah got a red card. England held on for dear life by reverting to a five-man defence but worries were allayed when Harry Kane converted a penalty at the 60th minute. Mexico did convert a penalty at the 69th minute, but the English will not be denied as they held on.

Mexico threw everything at them; even the kitchen sink was not spared. England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford produced several brilliant saves, while Bellingham dug deep by executing a last-ditch tackle to deny Mexico defender Cesar Montes when it was certain it was a goal. It was a tremendous result, as Mexico had lost only twice previously at the Azteca Stadium. England will face Norway next in the quarter-finals. Watch highlights here.

Trump pressures FIFA, got a US player ‘pardoned’ from red card
In what is viewed by the world as blatant corruption, Trump has successfully pressured FIFA to overturn a red card ruling for US player Folarin Balogun. He will now be allowed to play against Belgium. Apparently, Trump made a ‘personal call’ to FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review the red card call. After that, FIFA suspended the red card ruling. Trump wrote on Truth Social, "Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice".

Context is important here. The US had already won 2-0 against Bosnia and Herzegovina. But Balogun was undoubtedly the star for Team USA now, with his third goal of the tournament in the match. A dangerous tackle by him on the ankle of Tarik Muharemovic earned him a red card after the referee reviewed the tackle on VAR and decided that this was it for Balogun. The US coach said it was not a red card offence. But if you think about it, no football coach will ever accept a red card ruling if it involves one of their players. So, the whole world now knows that FIFA is under Trump’s chequebook. Corruption paves the way forward, and this is not new for FIFA considering its chequered past.

You can be the judge on whether the tackle was dangerous and deserving of a red card:

On the bright side, with US celebrating its 250th anniversary, it’s good to know that Jho Low isn’t on Trump’s Independence Day presidential pardon list.

Neymar to quit Brazil national team
A Brazilian legend is going out sad. Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, now aged 34 years old, has called it quits on the Brazilian national team after losing in the Last 16 against Norway. He is Brazil’s all-time top goal scorer, with 80 goals. His time in this World Cup has been plagued by a right calf injury as he only appeared in two games. He came on for Brazil in the second half of the Norway game and scored a penalty in the 100th minute, but it was all too late. He was seen crying when the final whistle blew as his teammates consoled him. In recent years, he had struggled with injuries. Neymar had continued the legacy of brilliant Brazilian players playing in Europe, as he formed the famous MSN trio in Barcelona with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

China puts an official to death
It is a warning by President Xi Jinping. China’s government has sentenced an official, Yang Youlin, to death over a USD325 mil (RM1.33 bil) bribe from 2013 to 2023. He was a former vice director of an economic zone in the eastern city of Nanjing. This comes as Xi tightens his anti-corruption crackdown on corrupt officials in China. Before this, two former officials at China Huarong International Holdings Ltd were also sentenced to death.

The death penalty remains relatively rare in corruption cases in China. But that’s not the whole story. President Xi’s ‘anti-graft crackdowns’ are also a tool to remove his political rivals. He first employed it against Bo Xilai in 2013, a top political rival. Then, it continued until now, and it serves as a warning to his political rivals not to cross him. His grip and control over the Chinese Communist Party have served as one of the necessary conditions for him to remain as president for life.

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Palestinian movement Hamas has announced the dissolution of the body in Gaza to make way for a technocratic committee to implement civilian rule. Hamas has been in power for almost 20 years since seizing control from Fatah in 2007. The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) will take over now and is currently based in Cairo. NCAG was created by the Board of Peace that President Trump established in Oct 2025 when the ceasefire started between Hamas and Israel. Ali Shaath will head the NCAG and assume administrative responsibilities.

However, the next phase will be tricky as it involves Hamas disarming. Israel has stepped up its presence in the Gaza territory by taking control of 70% of the territory. Hamas is demanding the establishment of a Palestine administration before disarming. Israel rejects both Hamas and NCAG. The question now is who will budge or will the genocide continue in Palestine?

Wildfires sweep through Southern Europe
Watch the Tour De France while the surrounding area burns? The organisers don’t think so as it has banned spectators for a stage of the event. Wildfires are raging across Southern Europe which includes France, Spain, Greece and Portugal and have forced thousands to evacuate. Firefighters are fighting fires that are raging across 20,000 hectares. Their work is about to get harder as strong winds are fanning the flames, and temperatures are projected to rise to 40 Celsius next week, according to the World Weather Attribution. They have also said that the situation would have been impossible without the current climate crisis.

5. FOR YOUR EYES 📺

Safari at your desk

1. China’s Xinjiang Heavenly Horse Festival, celebrating the region’s centuries-old horse culture. Read more about this festival here.

2. The million-dollar shot - drone flying amongst the flamingos by wildlife photographer Shantha Kumar (IG here).

3. Rare footage of polar bear vs beluga whales by drone photographer Benjamin Hardman (IG here).

4. Pigs can’t fly, but pigs can really, really swim. Bahamas’ (view map here) popular attraction.