☕️ Tun M's sons' assets declared, worth over RM1.2 bil

1. MARKET SUMMARY 📈

2. NUMBERS AT A GLANCE 🔢

How to make STEM subjects more interesting? Add erotica to it. Zara Dar (pseudonym), a bioengineer who was once working towards a doctorate, abandoned it to become a full-time creator posting lectures on YouTube and Pornhub (yes, that’s right — it’s educational too) focusing on STEM subjects and linking these accounts to her OnlyFans page where she has made USD1.4 mil (RM6.3 mil) since Jan 2022. Her unique STEM content set her apart on the platform, which promoted her videos on its main page. In Dec alone, she made USD240,000 (RM1.07 mil). Her YouTube channel (view here for educational purposes) recently hit 150,000 subscribers.

USD4 mil (RM17.9 mil) is the asking price for the iconic home of Walter White from “Breaking Bad,” located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Despite the house being a modest three-bedroom, one-bath property, Zillow estimates its value at around USD350,000, not factoring in the fan appeal — that’s an 11.4x premium simply for housing Mr White. Homeowner Joanna Quintana, who grew up in the house, decided to sell it after 52 years, partly due to the constant presence harassment of fans visiting the property. The fan interest could either raise or lower the value depending on the buyer.

6 bil downloads worldwide have been reached by VLC media player, the popular open-source software developed by the non-profit VideoLAN. The company also teased a new AI-powered subtitle system that automatically generates real-time subtitles, which can be translated into multiple languages. This feature uses open-source AI models running locally on users’ devices, eliminating the need for internet connectivity or cloud services. VideoLAN demonstrated this at CES, but the company has not yet announced a release date for the feature.

3. IN MALAYSIA 🇲🇾

Dr M's sons' assets declared, worth over RM1bil
MACC chief Azam Baki has acknowledged receipt of the asset declarations of former PM Mahathir’s sons, Mokhzani and Mirzan, and confirmed that MACC is analysing their declared assets. Azam revealed that the duo declared over RM1 bil in assets, with Mokhzani declaring about RM1 bil while Mirzan declared RM246.2 mil. He also explained that their personal net worth, deducting liabilities, assets, and shareholdings, places Mokhzani at about RM360 mil (now that’s a lot of debt Mokhzani) and Mirzan at about RM120 mil.

Azam also confirmed that MACC is working to identify any assets owned by late finance minister Daim Zainuddin’s family abroad. He said MACC required the assistance of foreign nations to probe assets parked outside the country and to ensure the assets declared by the family tally with the allegations being brought against them.

Breaking Bad or Breaking News?

• Bukit Aman busts drug-processing lab

  The operation of three police raids saw the arrest of 12 suspects and the seizure of drugs worth RM120 mil, one of which is a Malaysian. The first raid at a warehouse in Puncak Alam, Selangor, saw eight foreign male suspects who were processing drugs arrested, while the second raid at a house in Puncak Alam saw two more foreign men and a Thai woman arrested, with the two men suspected to be the coordinators of the syndicate. Interrogating the three suspects from the second raid led to a third raid on a house in Kuala Lumpur, which was used as a storage facility for the drugs. In total, over 500kg of drugs ranging from erimin 5 to ganja were seized, along with 15 pistols, a submachine gun, and 900 bullets.

• MCMC calls for almost 20,000 pieces of content taken down from social media

  Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil shared that the MCMC has requested that a total of 18,785 pieces of content on social media platforms be taken down as they violate the law. He added that 84% of the total was related to online gambling and scams, with another 5% involving cyberbullying and 4% being advertisements for prohibited items. As an aside, Fahmi has also called for the public to prioritise mainstream media as the official source of reference and for social media users to be wary of unverified news from social media.

Boosted EV Production and the Highway Toll SOS

• Proton's e.Mas 7 sees strong demand

  Proton will be boosting the production of the e.Mas 7 EV by an extra 3,000 units to cope with strong nationwide demand. Deputy CEO Roslan Abdullah said this was an indicator of the public’s acceptance of EVs, adding that Proton had previously targeted securing 3,000 bookings for the vehicle within six months, with the target surpassed in less than a month. The EV is offered in two variants, the Prime and the Premium, which have starting prices of RM109,800 and RM123,800, respectively. That’s at least RM329 mil of new car sales there for Proton. Sweet.

• TNG e-Wallet unveils SOS Balance feature

  The e-wallet’s new feature is intended to work at Touch ‘n Go RFID and PayDirect-enabled toll plazas, and will activate to cover a toll payment if a user does not have enough in their e-wallet. The user will have a 24-hour grace period after that to pay back the amount, and failure to do so will not only see the feature suspended, but the e-wallet will also be unable to make payments or purchases until it is reloaded. It was also noted that not all highways support the feature. Just in time for the Lunar New Year rush, especially since Works Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi announced that toll-free travel during festivals would be “unlikely” this year. Thanks, Cabinet for your great decision.

Water Sustainability and Conserving Tigers

• SPAN calls out data centres for unchecked use of potable water

  The National Water Services Commission (SPAN) raised concerns over the unchecked use of treated water by data centres for cooling and other operational needs, warning that such actions threaten long-term water security. SPAN chairman Charles Santiago called for an immediate reform of the sector’s water consumption practices, urging the government to establish comprehensive policies and for data centre operators to adopt alternative cooling technologies to minimise water consumption and increase efficiency.

• MPOGCF marks RM1.7 mil spent on Malayan Tiger conservation

  The Malaysian Palm Oil Green Conservation Foundation (MPOGCF) reported it had spent RM1.7 mil of its RM3.18 mil allocation for a five-year period, with the funds going towards providing food and medicine, conducting research, and developing skills for those working at conservation centres. These efforts also include the Malayan Tiger Habitat Enrichment Programme, part of the Malayan Tiger Conservation Programme. The habitat programme involved the planting of 95 trees of various species, so that the enclosure better resembles the tigers’ natural habitat.

Shorts:

1. Bursa chairman suggests common time zone for ASEAN nations

   Chairman Abdul Wahid Omar believed the suggestion, which was first made in 1995, would further integrate ASEAN as a compelling economic bloc. The suggestion would see Indonesia moving Western Indonesia to the same timezone as Central Indonesia, and for Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam to shift from GMT+7 to GMT+8.

2. Comedian vs comedian as police report is filed

   Police confirmed a report was lodged by UMNO member and comedian Shahrol Shiro against fellow comedian Harith Iskander, claiming Harith’s Facebook post, connected to the case of the chicken ham sandwiches, provided a space for netizens to “mock and insult the purity of Islam”.

4. AROUND THE WORLD 🌎

Gazans struggle to go on with daily life 
After the ceasefire and amid the surge of humanitarian aid and people returning home, the daily struggle remains extremely hard for Gaza survivors : Health services have been decimated and swaths of the territory reduced to rubble. Water and fuel are scarce, with risks of contracting disease and potential famine.

Prices of food like fresh fruits and vegetables, cheese and instant noodles have dropped, but the price of essential pantry items like flour remains high. Hours before the ceasefire was signed, aid officials said the humanitarian crisis in Gaza was “as bad as it's ever been”. UN-run bakeries in southern Gaza have not functioned for weeks because of a lack of fuel and flour, depriving the poor of a main source of food. People are in need of blankets and clothes in the winter weather.

Those who returned to their decimated homes are in dire need of water, power and other basic necessities. It’s a long road ahead for the Palestinians, but they truly deserve every chance to rebuild.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump says that he's "not confident" that the Gaza ceasefire will hold as it enters its third day, stating that “it’s not a US war”, and Gaza looks like a "massive demolition site". Watch:

Day 1 of Trump’s America

• Biden issues pardons for Trump critics and his own family members
  President Biden was still busy on his way out - on Monday, in the hours before Trump’s inauguration, he had apparently issued an unprecedented number of pardons, including for prominent critics of Trump, as well as three members of his own family. His reasons: To shield them from Trump’s revenge and future prosecutions. This potentially establishes a precedent future presidents could use to protect his or her own allies from criminal prosecution.

• Trump grants clemency to all charged over Jan 6 US Capitol attack
  And then it was Trump’s turn - now officially US President, Donald Trump has granted clemency to everyone charged over the Jan 6 2021 attack on the US Capitol in one of his first official acts in the Oval Office. That includes about 1,500 of his supporters and commuted the sentences of 14 others. The pardons also erased the criminal records of more than 700 people convicted of misdemeanour offences, such as trespassing, and put a halt to hundreds of pending prosecutions. This is clearly a departure from the years-long drive to punish those responsible for trying to overturn the outcome of the 2020 US election.

• Musk accused of giving a disturbing Nazi salute 
  Elon Musk, in his address during Trump’s inauguration made an awkward hand gesture - he slapped his right hand on his chest before extending his arm at an upward angle with his palm down and fingers together. His actions drew immediate scrutiny online, with some social media users accusing him of giving the infamous Sieg Heil salute associated with Adolf Hitler. Some people defended Musk, including the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), one of the most prominent organisations dedicated to opposing anti-Semitism, while some expressed their disgust and highlighted that his platform X is well-known for promoting racist neo-Nazi content.
  View his speech and the context here and judge for yourself. Mainstream media taking it out of context, that’s the case to us.

• ICC braces for Trump sanctions over Israeli arrest warrants
  Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court is wary of Trump’s economic aggression after he had taken office, fearing the sanctions that he would impose that could paralyse ICC’s work and even pose an existential threat. The threat of US sanctions has loomed over the ICC since it issued arrest warrants in November against the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his former defence minister, Yoav Gallant, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

A wetter and warmer planet leads to higher dengue infections
As the planet warms, dengue cases around the world are on the rise. Globally, the link between climate change and dengue incidence is becoming more salient. In 2023, more than five million cases were reported worldwide, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). In 2024, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control reported more than 14 mil cases.

Scientists in Singapore are studying the effects of climate change on dengue transmission, and their findings are quite disturbing. Apparently, the warmer the planet gets, the more water it releases, resulting in more frequent and heavy rainfall that eventually creates more stagnant water bodies that are perfect for mosquito breeding.

Climate change also speeds up the physical maturation of the mosquito, while also enabling the dengue virus to develop faster within it. Higher climate temperature means that it takes a shorter time for mosquitoes to become infectious after getting the virus. Our hot and humid country is the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes, and with climate change, it will all be even more challenging.

Shorts:

1. Indonesian president’s flagship free meal program marred by food poisoning 
   A food poisoning incident has tainted President Prabowo Subianto’s multi-million dollar food program, intended to address stunting and malnutrition in the country. Some 40 students from a school in Central Java had nausea and vomiting after consuming the government-provided food, as well as some from North Kalimantan. The projected cost of the program amounts to USD 45 bil (RM201.4 bil) over five years, with reports that an additional USD 6.11 bil will be needed to expand it to reach more than a quarter of its population by year-end.

2. Hindenburg Research company to disband 
   The founder of Hindenburg Research, Nate Anderson, had announced that the muckraking research and investment firm would be closing down soon, after finishing the “pipeline of ideas” that he and his team had been working on. Hindenburg Research, named after the German airship that exploded in 1937, made a name for itself producing investigative reports alleging corporate fraud, mismanagement and other malfeasance.

5. FOR YOUR EYES 📺

1. If you’ve been following the Australian Open closely, this point was phenomenal.

2. If “Lewis Hamilton racing for Ferrari” was on your 2025 Bingo Card, you cheated — because he signed the contract in January 2024. That Ferrari F40 🤤