☕️ The 'Turun Anwar' hoo-ha

1. MARKET SUMMARY 📈

The hottest stock market this year - South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI, up 33% in 2025, pushing its market value above USD2 tril for the first time in 3 years.

2. NUMBERS AT A GLANCE 🔢

In 2024, around 123 mil people have been displaced by conflict, disaster, or persecution, triple the number from 2010. However, OECD countries only received a grand total of 2.7 mil claims for asylum in 2023. This was a record number, but clearly only a small slice of the issue as a whole. Unfortunately, fewer countries are honouring the UN Refugee Convention, despite most countries signing it. This shows a system that has not kept up with the times and is no longer working. The system has been gamed, leading to asylum-seekers being viewed with suspicion as people who could just be moving illegally into a country, rather than meeting the criteria of fleeing from a “well-founded fear” of persecution.

US President Donald Trump’s move to cut most of US funding towards foreign humanitarian aid could cause over 14 mil additional deaths by 2030, with a third of that number being children. This is according to research published in the medical journal The Lancet, with the report’s co-author stating that low– and middle-income countries were facing shock over the loss of humanitarian “comparable in scale to a global pandemic or a major armed conflict. USAID funding played a part in saving over 90 mil lives between 2001 to 2021. Shame that one of the good things the US was doing was stopped by this guy, who just wants overseas spending to be closely aligned to his “America First” agenda.

According to Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, over 10,500 women in Malaysia have tested positive for human papillomavirus (HPV) in the past five years. These were found through cervical cancer screening efforts by the Health Ministry under the Action Plan Towards the Elimination of Cervical Cancer 2021-2030, which has screened over 160,000 women nationwide. Still, 65% of women in the country have not undergone cervical cancer screening in the past three years. Dzulkefly emphasised that eliminating cervical cancer needs cultural change and shared responsibility alongside clinical efforts.

3. IN MALAYSIA 🇲🇾

‘Turun Anwar’ rally sees attendance of 25,000
Despite claims by PAS leaders such as Ahmad Fadhli Shaari and Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden that about 500,000 people attended the rally, Malaysiakini estimates the final figure only stands at about 25,000. Who’s closer to right, who’s closer to wrong? Let maths and physics decide here. The rally, which initially started out to protest against the planned Urban Renewal Act (URA), quickly shifted to demand that Anwar Ibrahim step down as PM. Beyond worries about rising costs of living, highlighted among the reasons as to why PM Anwar should step down is the mishandling of judicial appointments. Several key political leaders, such as former PMs Tun Dr Mahathir and Muhyiddin Yassin, attended the event.

Commenting on the rally, Inspector-General of Police Mohd Khalid Ismail stated that no arrests were made as the rally proceeded peacefully and was well-controlled. Mohd Khalid added that a total of 3,000 officers and personnel were dispatched to help manage the crowd. According to police estimates, the attendance of the rally is at 18,000 people, even lower than Malaysiakini’s estimated final headcount. In comparison, the 34-hour Bersih 4.0 rally demanding that former PM Najib Razak step down in 2015 was attended by about 500,000.

Four officers nabbed in Johor for ‘flying passport’ bribes
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has arrested four immigration officers for allegedly accepting bribes amounting to about RM3,000 while on duty at the motor entry zone inspection counter along the Johor-Singapore border. During the arrests, 14 foreign passports and four mobile phones belonging to the two main suspects were also found — the mobile phones were linked to the ‘flying passport’ bribery transactions. ‘Flying passport’ refers to the extension of a stay permit where the passport holder does not leave the country, which is a legal requirement. Those involved would facilitate the process by stamping a foreigner's passport without leaving the country.

Immigration-related bribery does not stop in Johor. Moving up north, MACC in Selangor has remanded an enforcement officer suspected of accepting around RM8,000 in bribes while on duty at the arrival counter of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). The officer was caught in the act via CCTV.

Student found dead in Sabah school dorm tragedy
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek vows that the investigation into the death of a Form One student named Zara Qairina Mahathir at a school dormitory in Sabah will be done transparently and impartially. Zara Qairina, 13, was reported to have died after allegedly falling from the third floor of her school dormitory in Papar, Sabah, in the early hours of July 17. No details as to how it may have happened yet.

In an unrelated matter, MARA chairman Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki has stated that six Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM) students have been suspended following another bullying incident at an MRSM in Melaka. Dr Asyraf said that the school has also proposed expelling the students. To quote Dr Asyraf, “No need to appeal. You touch, you go." Just last month, a Form 2 student at an MRSM in Besut, Terengganu, claimed he was bullied by a group of senior students in the dormitory, sustaining injuries to his stomach, ribs, and back. Six students involved in that case were expelled. Way to go, MARA and team.

Shorts

1. Dr M’s granddaughter robbed of RM1.8 mil
   Former PM Tun Dr Mahathir’s granddaughter reportedly lost belongings worth an estimated RM1.8 mil after her home in Bukit Ledang was broken into on Wednesday, July 23. Acting Kuala Lumpur police chief Deputy Comm Mohamed Usuf Jan Mohamad confirmed the incident. It was reported that the break-in was discovered by the victim’s domestic helper, who noticed the rear gate was cut open and the bedroom was ransacked. No suspects have been identified so far.

2. Deputy finance minister confirms no registration needed for RM100 Sara aid
   Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying said that the RM100 assistance announced by PM Anwar does not require any application or registration, as it will be credited directly to all eligible MyKad holders aged 18 and above starting August 31. She warned the public to be cautious of any scams that may attempt to obtain their personal information via malicious links.

3. What’s cheaper than a KL nasi lemak? A ‘pil kuda’ in Kelantan
   According to a report by Harian Metro, ‘pil kuda’, or amphetamine pills, in Kelantan may cost as low as RM1 - RM3 each. Wan, a user who was interviewed, shared that he only started consuming the pill as a stimulant for work. However, he became addicted and is now also a supplier. Wan stated that the price varies from RM7 to RM10 per pill. If you buy a 'row' of 10 pills, the price drops to RM6 to RM8 each. And for bulk purchases of 50 pills, it can go as low as RM1 to RM3 per pill. Wan also revealed that most of the ‘pil kuda’ came from Thailand, transited via the river, while certain “influencers” in Kelantan used their legal businesses as fronts to cover their illegal ‘pil kuda’ supply enterprise. No wonder lah the ‘pil kuda’ pandemic is out of control in Kelantan.

4. AROUND THE WORLD 🌎

About Palestine
Israel “pauses” to allow food into Gaza
The Israeli military has announced a “tactical pause” in fighting in three areas of Gaza - namely al-Mawasi, Deir el-Balah, and Gaza City - from 10AM to 8PM local time every day until further notice, beginning yesterday. This would allow humanitarian aid to flow back again into Gaza, within secure routes designated by the Israeli military. It also said that airdrops carrying food were made yesterday into Gaza. All this while still denying that there is starvation in Gaza, despite months of warnings of famine by aid agencies, rights experts and several governments due to its continued restriction of crucial aid into the enclave. Aid organisations said last week there was mass hunger among Gaza’s 2.2 mil people, and dozens of Palestinians have died of malnutrition in the past few weeks. The Israeli military also “violently intercepted” the Handala, a Freedom Flotilla Coalition aid ship with 21 international activists and journalists on board. The ship was attempting to deliver humanitarian aid into Gaza, but the supplies were seized by the Israeli forces.

France to recognise Palestine as a state
French President Emmanuel Macron has said that the country is set to recognise Palestine as a state, and will formalise the decision at the UN General Assembly in September. The move makes France the largest and arguably most influential country in Europe to move to recognise a Palestinian state, after EU members Norway, Ireland, and Spain indicated they would also begin the same process. At least 142 countries out of the 193 members of the UN currently recognise Palestine as a state or plan to do so, but several others still refuse to do so, such as the US, the UK and Germany. Earlier this week, France joined the UK, Australia, Canada, and 21 other allies of Israel in condemning restrictions on aid shipments into Gaza, as well as the killings of hundreds of Palestinians trying to reach food. The joint statement, the most significant yet from Western countries, said the war “must end now”.

Tech: Privacy issues
Your conversations with AI is not really protected
One might want to think twice when talking to ChatGPT about personal matters, or making it a personal “therapist”. In a recent podcast, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said that, unlike professional relationships with human doctors or lawyers, there is no legal confidentiality with AI. In fact, the AI industry does not have a legal or policy framework for how to protect user privacy when it comes to these more sensitive conversations. This could create a privacy concern for users in case of a lawsuit, because OpenAI would be legally required to produce those conversations today. OpenAI does understand that the lack of privacy may hinder people’s usage. As it is, the company is already being asked to produce data from users’ chats in some legal contexts. If a court could override OpenAI’s own decisions around data privacy, it could open the company to further demands for legal discovery or law enforcement purposes. Altman said that it would “make sense” to wait for privacy clarity before using too much ChatGPT.

Astronomer hires Gwyneth Paltrow, Byron sues Coldplay
After the Coldplay “kiss cam” revelation of a scandalous CEO and HR boss affair that went viral, data operations startup Astronomer has hired actress Gwyneth Paltrow to shift people’s attention back to what the company really does. Paltrow, who also happens to be the ex-wife of Coldplay’s singer Chris Martin, appeared in a short tongue-in-cheek video to answer “most common” questions about the company, then ended with this line - “we will now be returning to what we do best — delivering game-changing results for our customers”. Meanwhile, Astronomer ex-CEO Andy Byron who was caught in the viral mess is reportedly going to sue Coldplay over the kiss cam incident, citing emotional distress and invasion of privacy that ruined his life. Legal experts think a lawsuit would be a “long shot”, due to the public nature of the concert. Wonder if he knew that a concert is actually considered a public space?

KKR in acquisition talks for ST Telemedia GDC in USD5 bil deal
US investment firm KKR & Co is reportedly in talks to acquire Singapore’s digital infrastructure provider ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC), with the deal valued at over USD5 bil. Should this happen, the deal would be among the largest for KKR in 2025 after its other acquisitions this year, namely the post-trade services firm OSTTRA, Karo Healthcare, and precision testing equipment and software maker Spectris. KKR is already a backer in the closely-held STT GDC with a 14.1% stake. STT GDC is one of Asia’s largest data centre operators – with more than 100 data centres across 20 major markets, including India, South Korea, Japan and Malaysia, as well as in the UK and Europe. The company provides services such as colocation, connectivity and support services.

Shorts

1. Are Thailand and Cambodia really going to war?
   Thai acting PM Phumtham Wechayachai warned that the ongoing clashes between Thailand and Cambodia could “move towards war”. The fighting now included heavy weapons and had spread to 12 locations along the border at the time of writing, with civilians in affected Thai villages evacuated to a safer place. Following calls for peace from nations around the world, both countries had agreed to attend mediation talks over their deadly border conflict in Malaysia today, even as both sides accused each other of launching fresh artillery strikes across contested areas. The border clashes have now killed at least 30 people and displaced thousands in both countries. Does the world really need another war?

2. Farewell, Hulk Hogan
   World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) legendary icon Hulk Hogan has passed away at the age of 71, leaving behind a legacy of wrestling entertainment and his status as a universal symbol of WWE, especially in the 1980s. Hogan, with his over-the-top persona, beach-blonde handlebar moustache, bandanas, and towering physique has managed to capture the spectacle of wrestling entertainment and made it a global phenomenon. He then became more involved in politics and was a loud supporter of Trump during the 2024 elections. He was caught in controversy once when a recording emerged of him using an anti-Black racial slur, for which he was suspended by WWE in 2015. He was later reinstated in 2018.

5. FOR YOUR EYES 📺

1. Chinese people, did you buy your Fantastic 4 tickets this way?

2. The history of the 2 Yamahas from the same root - the motorcycle company, and the music company.