UK Higher Ed: Prestige at a Discount

The competition is heating up and getting fiercer as UK higher education desperately fights to hold onto crashing foreign student enrollment. 

At least 22 universities are offering guaranteed tuition-fee discounts of up to £8,000 for overseas students. This shift is driven by a 17 percent drop in postgraduate enrollment in the two years leading to March 2026, stricter visa rules, and a 2024 ban on family members accompanying students. 

The reduced net fee at these varsities is likely to fuel concerns about the education sector's approach to recruiting overseas students, on whose fees it already depends.

The University of Nottingham, which set out plans to trim more than 600 jobs, offers an immediate £3,000 scholarship for 2026 taught master’s courses with no application needed, replacing merit awards. 

Meanwhile, the University of Aberdeen, where 100 jobs could be cut as part of a £10m savings plan, introduced an £8,000 scholarship directly deducted from the tuition bill. 

Furthermore, the University of Kent are offering a pre-approved £5,000 discount for master's degree entrants from 14 specific countries – including China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, and Vietnam – requiring no separate application process. 

The University of Leeds are also providing a hassle-free £5,000 regional scholarship reduction directly to eligible international undergraduate students, such as applicants from Kenya. 

Zeenat Fayaz, founder of The Brand Education, which advises universities on branding, said this “pricing war” could backfire by sparking competition between institutions on the basis of a degree’s cost rather than their own strengths. 

“Higher-tariff universities are not only offering scholarships, but they’re also reducing their grade requirements to allow students in... It’s a race to the bottom”.

Inside the Ismail Sabri Probe

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) have ensnared former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob in a multi-million rinngit corruption and money laundering investigation. 

Following the initial crackdown in February 2025, authorities instituted synchronized raids on seven locations: four private residences of senior aides and three separate safe houses, following the arrest of the quartet of senior officers who served under Ismail during his tenure as the ninth prime minister (August 21, 2021-November 24, 2022). 

They hauled away RM14,772,150 in Malaysian currency; S$6,132,350; US$1,461,400; CHF3 million; €12,164,150; ¥363,000,000; £50,250; NZ$44,600; AED34,750,000; and A$352,850, as well as 16kg of gold bars (worth nearly RM7 million), and secondary luxury assets.

The Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court subsequently forfeited the cash to the government after the application went uncontested by all parties. Note that the forfeiture order applied only to the cash; the gold bullion, alongside a hoard of fine jewelry and high-value watches seized during the safe house raids, remain held as evidence for Ismail's criminal prosecution. 

Ismail Sabri (right) was scheduled to be officially charged in court on August 07, 2026, but the hearing has since been postponed to August 27 after he was admitted to the National Heart Institute (IJN) for a pacemaker procedure. 

As the legal net tightens around yet another former prime minister, the staggering discovery of hidden safe houses, gold bullion, and millions in foreign cash serves as a sobering reminder of Malaysia's never-ending battle against high-level corruption. 

All eyes will be on the courts to see how this high-stakes political drama unfolds.

Just so you know, today, I have exactly RM6 in my wallet. 😫

Holy Mockery

Death rituals seem to be a source of inspiration during the Malaysian election season. 

Kindly check out my July 09 blog post "Shamsul Iskandar Akin's Spook-tacular Stunt", where in the Johor polls last month, we saw a talqin twist in Pakatan Harapan’s campaign. 

Now, Anthony Loke has become the subject of a tahlil by UMNO members, allegedly to mock the DAP secretary-general’s "demise" in the Negeri Sembilan polls after he failed to defend his Chennah seat. 

DAP leader Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali condemned UMNO Youth exco Wan Zuhir Wan Ghazali for posting a video of the tahlil – a prayer gathering for the deceased – that the latter took part in, with the caption: "Doing tahlil for Loke's burial in Chennah. Condolences". 

Calling the move “irresponsible”, Sheikh Umar stressed that religious ceremonies should not be exploited as "material for mockery, insinuation, or a political weapon". 

Wan Zuhir (left), however, denied he had insulted the sanctity of the religion, insisting that since the Islamic matters he mentioned were not part of the teaching’s fundamental principles, he did not disrespect Islam.

😏😏😏

Some People Remain as Assholes

Fun fact. Humans are deuterostomes. Which means that when we develop in the womb, the anus forms before any other opening. 

Indeed. During early embryonic development, the first opening that forms (the blastopore) becomes the anus, while the mouth forms later. 

Therefore, this basically means that, at one point, we were nothing but an asshole. 

What's even crazier is that some people never develop beyond this stage! 😁😁😁

On Saturday, Malaysia's Election Commission (EC) declared that Barisan Nasional won 18 of 36 seats in the 16th Negeri Sembilan election on Saturday. And their ally this time around, Perikatan National gained seven seats.

Meanwhile, Pakatan Harapan secured only eleven seats. The other contenders, Bersatu (which contested independently under their own logo), Barisan Jemaah Islamiah Se-Malaysia (Berjasa), Parti Orang Asli Malaysia (Asli), Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) and four Independent candidates failed to win any.

Malaysiakini wrote today that the results indicate that BN and PN supporters from GE15 will vote the same way in current elections, with a near-perfect vote transferability between the two if they continue working together. 

In short, this blue wave will be disastrous for PH, with more defeats to come. 

Notably, their wins were all in seats where non-Malays made up more than 50 percent of voters, and none of their assemblypersons now are Malay. 

[Note: As I had mentioned on July 18, Bersama decided to sit out this election, preferring to focus on the Melaka one].

A total of 646,084 voters, or 72.64 percent, cast their ballots in Negeri Sembilan.

As in Johor, Barisan Nasional dominate as the largest single party. Not all change is good though!

Bersama Disclose Johor Election Accounts

On Tuesday, Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama) publicly released their full financial statement for the July 2026 Johor state election campaign, establishing a self-imposed precedent for all their future election campaigns. 

Rafizi Ramli announced that the voluntary disclosure is part of piloting a "new political culture" in Malaysia. 

According to the party leadership, traditional anti-corruption rhetoric and legislative promises have failed to resolve deep-rooted political corruption. Bersama aim to tackle the issue directly by demonstrating total transparency in how their political funding is secured, spent, and maintained. 

The party highlighted a heavily volunteer-driven financial model to minimize standard election expenditures: 

Volunteer Operations. The entire campaign machinery operated voluntarily, meaning no payments or daily wages were handed out to campaign workers. 

Public Funding. Other logistical and campaign expenses were fully funded by three public sources, deliberately avoiding reliance on wealthy individuals or corporate interest groups. 

Full Bank Transparency. The published accounts outline exactly how funds were raised, where every ringgit was spent, and the remaining balances left in the party’s bank accounts. 

Rafizi previously criticized mainstream parties (he calls them 🦕parties) for running lavish, high-cost campaigns and allegedly utilizing federal and state government agencies to fund campaign-adjacent events. 

Bersama intend to use this continuous public auditing model to pressure the government into expediting a comprehensive Political Financing Bill for nationwide political reform.

Good job, Bersama!

The Deadly Heatwave in Europe

Temperatures in Europe have hit a new high this summer, with hotter early-summer heatwaves resulting in illness, excessive deaths and the collapse of infrastructure. 

On June 28, temperatures reached 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in some regions of the continent, including in Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland. 

And France’s national public health agency Santé publique France reported that the country experienced roughly 1,000 excess deaths during the heatwave which began on June 20th. 

Official figures noted that France's baseline death rate prior to the extreme heat (measured during April and May) sat at approximately 900 to 1,000 deaths per day. 

It's really, really bad because on June 23, 2026, for instance, France recorded a temperature of 44.3°C (111.7°F), making it one of the highest temperatures ever measured in the country since modern weather records began. 

Overall, 1,300 excess deaths have been reported in Europe since June 21, according to World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. 

In a post on X on June 28 too, he wrote that Europe is the fastest-warming continent on Earth, heating at twice the global average, and warned that the continent’s infrastructure has not been built to withstand high temperatures. 

“Driven by climate change and global warming, the phenomenon of the ‘once-in-a-generation’ heatwave is now occurring nearly annually”, he had grimly said.

Contrast this to Malaysia. During our hottest months so far in 2026 (March to May), the average daily temperatures ranged between 27°C and 28°C, with normal average daytime highs sitting around 33°C. 

In March and April, multiple districts in northern states like Perlis, Kedah, and Perak were placed under Level 2 heatwave alerts as daily maximum temperatures spiked between 37°C and 40°C for consecutive days. 

In fact, extended hot weather lasted through June, with maximum daytime temperatures consistently soaring up to 38°C across Peninsular Malaysia.

In case you're interested, the expected temperature in Malaysia today ranges from a minimum of 24°C to 25°C to a maximum of 33°C to 34°C. The current conditions are partly sunny at 24°C, though high humidity makes it feel closer to 28°C.

Franken-fish Invade the Philippines

Escaped ornamental aquarium fish have integrated into a local ecosystem in the Philippines, but scientists say they may be threatening the native biodiversity of the lake. 

Flowerhorn cichlids – human-bred hybrid fish prized for their brilliant and highly variable colours, typically displaying vibrant shades of red, orange, and gold, overlaid with metallic blue, green, and white "pearl" scales and prominent head humps – are believed to have escaped from breeding facilities into Lake Sampaloc, which sits in a volcanic crater in Laguna on the island of Luzon, during a typhoon.

[Note: Flowerhorn cichlids do not have an official scientific name. They are man-made hybrids. They were first bred in Malaysia in the 1990s. Breeders mixed several Central American cichlids. The primary ancestor is the Three-Spot Cichlid (Amphilophus trimaculatus). Other ancestors include the Red Devil (Amphilophus labiatus) and the Midas Cichlid (Amphilophus citrinellus). Because they are crossed like dogs of mixed breeds, they are simply listed as Amphilophus hybrid or named by their specific variety (like Kamfa or Thai Silk). Like a mutt dog, a flowerhorn is a mix. It does not exist in the wild naturally]. 

FYI, there is a variety of freshwater fish such as catfish, mudfish, tilapia, shrimp, ayungin, dulong and also snails. There are also many fish ponds here, which are one of the sources of income for the inhabitants of San Pablo City, Laguna, where they breed many different types of tilapia and shrimp. 

Research by Hannah Nicole C Gasmen and Dr Janice A Ragaza of Ateneo de Manila University has found that flowerhorns are being incorporated into the existing aquaculture system because, like tilapia, they can survive difficult conditions. Flowerhorns that have established wild populations and entered tilapia cages are sometimes kept and sold into the ornamental trade, while some local people stock them intentionally. 

The research, however, suggests that intentional stocking and sale could expand an already established invasive population. 

The 104-hectare (260-acre) Lake Sampaloc is already strained by sewage, household runoff, aquaculture nutrients and plastic waste, making it especially vulnerable to invasive species. Flowerhorns thrive in its eutrophic, polluted waters and compete for food, shelter and breeding grounds. 

The native ayungin, or silver perch (Leiopotherapon plumbeus), once a common catch, has become progressively rare and has even been classified as endangered by the IUCN. 

“Human-degraded habitats are generally the most vulnerable to invasion, and they are typically invaded by generalist species”, said Rupert Collins, a senior curator of fish at London’s Natural History Museum. “Cichlids are particularly successful in adapting. They are a textbook example of how new phenotypes can arise very quickly”. 

Concerns were also raised about potential parasites. Some flowerhorns in captivity have been found carrying Paracapillaria philippinensis, a roundworm capable of infecting humans. Some people have been observed fishing for flowerhorns recreationally and incorporating them into their cooking. The parasite has not been found in Lake Sampaloc’s flowerhorns, but the researchers advise against promoting the fish for human consumption. 

Dr Noël Juvigny-Khenafou, a lecturer in aquatic environmental science at the University of Stirling who was not involved in the research, noted that climate change may also intensify the problem. 

“Climate change may alter where aquaculture takes place and what species people are able to raise”, he said. “That could mean production shifting between regions and more non-native species being introduced into new places”. 

He said the research raised interesting questions: “What does that mean for the native species? What does that mean for the function of the ecosystem? Is the introduced species leading the ecosystem towards collapse, or is it simply becoming part of a new ecological community?” 

The researchers proposed long-term solutions including stronger pens, finer mesh, overflow barriers, routine inspections and community-led monitoring. They also suggest that invasive fish could be harvested for use in aquafeed, subject to screening for pathogens, heavy metals and microplastics. 

“Protecting and sustaining our aquatic ecosystems requires a collaborative approach among communities, research institutions and policymakers”, advised Gasmen.

La Roja Crowned World Cup Champs

I registered for the "Final World Cup @ HQ Bersama" gathering yesterday and early this morning (i.e., 03:00 AM Malaysian time), I watched my first and only 2026 FIFA World Cup event!

[Psst... I lost interest after both Scotland and Iran exited, following the group stage].

The crowning clash pitted defending champions Argentina against Spain.

La Albiceleste entered with the tournament's highest goal count (19), while La Roja boasted the tightest defense, having ⁠conceded just a single goal all tournament. 

I picked Spain to triumph. And they did! They won their second FIFA World Cup title by defeating Argentina 1-0 after extra time. 

Substitute striker Ferran Torres scored the decisive winning goal in the 106th minute, breaking the deadlock after a grueling, highly physical match. The Argies were bullies on the field.

I had dinner first in the vicinity. Nasi Kandar Mamak Kitchen, located at No. 32-1, Jalan PP16/2, Perdana Industrial Park in Taman Putra Perdana, Puchong, Selangor. It was only about 750 meters from HQ Bersama, and therefore, it was convenient for me. 

I had my usual. With extra rice, double portions. And air sirap ais. Altogether RM13.50.

At HQ Bersama, I had the privilege of being up close and personal with Bersama's Rafizi Ramli as he broke down the realities of modern Malaysian politics. Especially the shenanigans of the "dinosaur" parties.

The Purr-fect Workplace Solution

A Japanese company hired full-time office cats to reduce workplace stress, and it’s working. 

Tokyo-based Qnote Inc. first adopted a cat in 2004 and has since grown their feline staff to eleven permanent office residents. Employees say the cats boost morale, encourage short breaks, and create a much more relaxed and pleasant work environment. 

Each cat even has an official job title, such as “office clerk”, “manager”, or “auditor”, making them fully integrated into the company culture. 

The company love cats so much that “cat lover” is now listed as a requirement for human job applicants. 🐈

To accommodate their furry employees, Qnote renovated the office to incorporate cat toilets, climbing shelves, and scratch-resistant walls, allowing the cats to roam freely without causing damage. The result? Lower stress levels and stronger team bonding among staff.

Cats purr away work stress, ensuring a purr-fect workplace solution. 

In Malaysia, Bersama announced on July 15 their decision to sit out the sixteenth Negeri Sembilan state polls. 

This represents a calculated maneuver on their part because the state will witness an intense, localized showdown brewing between the Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) camps. Moving ahead risked putting Bersama candidates in the crossfire, which will not benefit the young party. 

Instead, Bersama will channel their "full focus" into preparing for the Melaka state election expected later this year.

Considering everything, methinks, it is a prudent move.

BN Bag 48 Seats in Landslide Win, PH Retain 8

The volatile Malaysian political landscape is churning again.

On Saturday, Barisan Nasional successfully secured more than a two-thirds majority in the 16th Johor election. They decisively won 48 of the 56 seats, an increase of eight seats compared to the 2022 state election. 

BN wrestled eight seats previously held by incumbents from other parties, including five from PH – namely Johor Jaya, Perling, Bukit Batu, Jementah, and Tangkak – as well as three seats previously held by PN incumbents, namely Bukit Kepong, Endau, and Maharani. The remaining eight seats went to Pakatan Harapan. 

A total of 1,874,918 (out of 2,727,926 registered voters), or a 68.73 percent turnout, cast their ballots in the state election. 

Perikatan Nasional, Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama), Muda, Parti Orang Asli Malaysia (Asli), and Parti Sosialis Malaysia failed to win any of the seats they stood in. The six independent candidates also finished the election without any wins. 

NOTE: The numbers are not official – the Election Commission have yet to publish the granular, aggregated popular vote numbers or exact total counts secured by individual political coalitions across all 56 constituencies

Bersama had a disappointing debut in the Johor election after all 15 of their candidates failed to collect enough votes to even retain their election deposits. 

Tapi jangan kita berputus asa!

This is nothing to feel bad about. The fledgling kancil party, being only 56 days old (as at Saturday) managed to convince 28,816 Johoreans in the 15 state seats they contested to support them. 

And those 28,816 voters saw past familiar logos, entrenched politics, and tribal loyalties. They proved the old framework has failed us. Now, we disrupt it – one choice, one ballot, one unstoppable tremor.

Stay the course and continue building trust. This is just the beginning. Let us grow from here.

AI Graphic and Out-of-State Voters: The Latest Twist in Johor's Election

Rosmah Mansor, the wife of former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak, has lambasted Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming over the DAP leader’s social media post using her image, calling it cheap propaganda. 

Nga’s post uploaded on his official X account Wednesday showed what appeared to be an AI-generated graphic of Rosmah pointing her fingers with text saying, “If you don’t come back, I’ll be back”. 

The graphic is believed to be a message for Johor voters to return to the state and cast their vote tomorrow. 

Tomorrow's election is going to be very interesting because it may be a bellweather for national elections next year!

The Great Durian Glut

The "durian tsunami" has hit the country! 

This is a classic example of supply and demand: when the market is suddenly flooded with a massive oversupply of the fruit, prices crash. Premium durians like Musang King are now a steal. 

And aficionados are gleefully raiding local fruit shops and roadside tents, to take advantage of the durian frenzy and snatch up bespoke flavors at up to 90% off normal prices. 

Found across Southeast Asia, the spiky fruit comes in many varieties, and in Malaysia, the highly prized cultivar Musang King is consumed locally and exported, mainly to China. 

Malaysia, which produces more than 550,000 tonnes of durian a year, is currently in its peak harvest season. 

A bumper harvest and a glut of export rejects have caused premium Musang King prices to crash from RM90 to just RM9 a kilo, according to a New Straits Times report on June 24, 2026. 

And basing on surveys conducted at durian stalls around the Klang Valley found other highly sought varieties also selling at steep discounts. 

As per the Malaysian Reserve on July 03, Black Thorn is selling between RM15 and RM29 per kilogram at many stalls in the Klang Valley. Additionally, Red Prawn sells for RM12 to RM22, IOI for RM10 to RM18, and Tekka for RM14 to RM25 per kilogram.  

The same NST report has even claimed that cheaper varieties were sold in bulk at RM100 for a basket of seven fruits.

It's time to feast on durians! 😋😋😋

Shamsul Iskandar Akin's Spook-tacular Stunt

Sadly, Malaysia remains shackled by a legacy of corruption. 

More so, its politics is just as contaminated, stained and tainted. Malaysians know all too well that our system is deeply rooted in systemic "money politics" and high-profile embezzlement scandals. 

Who doesn't know about the corporate mafia issue (highly publicized allegations first reported by Bloomberg on February 11, 2026, concerning a web of businessmen colluding with enforcement officials to launch hostile takeovers of public-listed companies). 

Or the Jana Wibawa government contracts scheme (introduced as a Covid-19 economic stimulus program for Bumiputera contractors that resulted in ongoing corruption and money-laundering trials involving former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and other political figures). 

Or the Littoral Combat Ship scandal (the multi-billion ringgit ⁠defence procurement failure in which substantial public funds were spent but major delivery delays occurred. Severe mismanagement was reported, including "dummy" payments to shell companies, overlapping contracts, and the destruction of records to hide irregularities. Millions in project funds were diverted or misused). 

Or the monumentally infamous 1MDB (the gargantuan global kleptocracy scheme, leading to multiple corruption convictions and the imprisonment of former Prime Minister Najib Razak). 

This is just a very SMALL sample to get me started! 

Actually, I want to vent about something which is, in a way, relatable. I reckon it is the most ludicrous thing that just went down. You can't make this stuff up. Prepare yourselves for a very farcical story...

Keadilan (PKR) member Shamsul Iskandar Akin took a dark approach to campaigning for the Johor state polls (July 11), transporting voters into his macabre version of beyond the veil when he delivered a message talqin-style in hopes it’ll sink in. All very theatrical!

In a video posted on social media on Monday, Shamsul, clad in a white robe (jubah) under sombre lighting and with an echoing voice for the full effect, assured voters not to be afraid when approached by BN, Perikatan Nasional, and Parti Bersama Malaysia as they too are just God's creatures (makhluk Allah jua). 

The former senior political secretary to the Prime Minister not only encouraged voters to accept bribes from those parties, but to squeeze as much as they can, so long as they still vote for Pakatan Harapan come polling day. 

"When you are given RM100, ask for RM500”, he said.

[FYI, he, himself, faces a total of five corruption charges totalling RM241,753.03 linked to businessman Albert Tei (Tei Jiann Cheing)!] 

The video, however, did not go down well with the living. Many netizens and even politicians criticised what they saw as an insensitive take on the Islamic ritual traditionally held at a gravesite after a burial. The absurdity of this politician acting to make it as an election gimmick. A big fail!

He has since deleted the video.

Bersama: New Kid on the Block

The Malaysian political landscape is witnessing the arrival of a new kid on the block! BERSAMA! 

Former Malaysian economy minister Rafizi Ramli and former natural resources and environmental sustainability minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad announced on May 17, 2026, that they have quit Anwar Ibrahim’s Keadilan (PKR), vacated their Pandan and Setiawangsa parliamentary seats respectively, and taken over Parti Bersama Malaysia (Malaysian United Party), a small party founded in Penang in 2016. 

The move came the same day that Anwar’s coalition tried to project discipline at the Pakatan Harapan convention in the southern state of Johor, sharpening the sense that Malaysia is drifting into campaign mode before a general election that must be held by February 17, 2028.

And Bersama's first electoral test is the Johor state election! 

Only fifty-two days old, and their movers and shakers are already flexing their muscles with 15 candidates on the ballot. Their primary goal is to serve as an independent bloc that rejects traditional race-based and patronage-driven politics and putting power back into everyday citizens' hands. 

The party operate like a digital-first start-up. They challenge convention by eliminating the classic bureaucratic baggage that plagues mainstream political parties. This makes them fast and agile. Like a kancil.

FYI, the 2026 Johor state election is just two days away! All 56 seats in the State Legislative Assembly are up for grabs. This vote will decide if the current Barisan Nasional government, led by Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi, keep their grip on power – or if opposition groups like Pakatan Harapan and Perikatan Nasional can swoop in to steal the majority. 

And Bersama have indicated they're more than happy to accept a legislative oversight role in Johor.

"Bersama memilih untuk tidak menyertai mana-mana gabungan politik. Kami mahu menjadi pembangkang yang berprinsip, kuat dan berkesan dalam menyemak serta mengimbangi kerajaan. 

Terlalu banyak parti politik hari ini lebih sibuk dengan percaturan kuasa sehingga suara rakyat semakin terpinggir. Bagi kami, politik bukan sekadar soal siapa memerintah, tetapi siapa yang sanggup memperjuangkan kepentingan rakyat".

Mark my words – it's just a question of time before Bersama own the news cycle!

A Thorny Hold-Up

Even though Malaysian durian prices are said to be depressed this season, the king of fruits remains a lucrative target, proven when three robbers hauled away four baskets of premium-grade durians after threatening two teenage orchard caretakers in Melaka. 

Jasin police chief Lee Robert said the robbery took place at about 11:30 AM on June 27 at a durian orchard in Anjung Gapam, Bemban, where the two teenagers, aged 17 and 18, were looking after the durian harvest. He said the suspects, who arrived in a car, loaded four large baskets of “IOI” durians into their vehicle before one of the teenagers confronted them. 

“One of the suspects became aggressive and brandished a machete to intimidate the teenager, while another made off with a motorcycle belonging to the father of one of the victims before they fled”, he said the following day. 

Lee said acting on intelligence, a team from the Jasin police arrested four men, aged between 27 and 35, in separate raids between 12:30 AM and 7:30 AM on the same day in Bertam Hulu, Kampung Paya Rumput, Masjid Tanah and Jasin. 

“Two of the suspects admitted their involvement in the incident, while another was positively identified by one of the victims as the person who stole the motorcycle”, he added. 

He highlighted that three of the suspects tested positive for methamphetamine, while checks also revealed they had criminal records. 

However, police were unable to recover the stolen durians.

I'm happy to share that Germany and the Netherlands had been eliminated in the knockout phase (Round of 32) of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Monday, after both suffered dramatic penalty shootout defeats. 

In fact, Paraguay President Santiago Peña signed a decree declaring the following day, a national holiday to commemorate the victory against Die Mannschaft (The Team). 

The match had ended in a 1-1 tie after extra time, and then, La Albirroja (The White and Red) stunned the four-time world champions 4-3 on penalties. 

And Oranje (The Orange) lost 2-3 on penalties to Morocco after also being tied 1-1 after extra time. 

In the meantime, Brazil avoided a major upset by coming from behind to defeat Japan 2-1, also on Monday. A dramatic 95th-minute winner secured the Seleção (The Selection/Squad) a spot in the last 16. I'm glad too the Samurai Blue lost!

🤗🤗🤗

Nearly 2M Malaysian Grads Trapped in Jobs Below Qualification Level

Nearly two million Malaysian graduates are trapped in jobs below their qualification level, a far more damning measure of higher education outcomes than unemployment figures, economist and founder and director Williams Business Consultancy Sdn Bhd, Geoffrey Williams shared. 

He said the biggest issue facing graduates was underemployment as they leave universities burdened with debt and accept whatever work is available, regardless of whether it matches their qualifications. 

"Unemployment is low, but underemployment is high. This is the measure to watch. Almost two million are in this category, more than one third of all graduates", Williams (right) told the Sun. 

Data from the Department of Statistics Malaysia showed that 1.96 million tertiary-educated Malaysians were in skill-related underemployment in the third quarter of last year, making up 35.5% of employed degree and diploma holders. Graduate unemployment, by comparison, stood at just 3.2% in 2024. 

Williams said graduate employability should not be treated as a measure of university success. 

"Graduate employability is not a good measure of university success because if businesses do not supply graduate-level jobs, universities cannot do anything about that". 

He rejected the notion that universities should primarily function as workforce training centres, even as industry associations continue to highlight the gap between academic output and labour market needs. 

"The fact is that universities are not training centres – they are not set up to train graduates for the labour force. Most academics have never worked outside of a university and do not know what employers want". 

Williams added that traditional employability measures fail to capture whether graduates are actually securing graduate-level positions. 

"Traditional employability statistics are already irrelevant because they do not show that graduates have graduate-level jobs. One big mismatch for universities is that they prepare graduates for formal contracts that do not exist in large enough numbers". 

Citing Higher Education Ministry tracer studies, he added that about 90% of graduates worked for employers while only 10% became entrepreneurs – a ratio he said was poorly suited to the realities of the modern economy. 

"In a world of artificial intelligence, gig economy and micro-enterprises, employment will be more informal. World-class universities are preparing people for that and Malaysian universities need to catch up". 

And Williams also contended that the Malaysian Qualifications Agency played an important role in maintaining quality across the sector. He said without the agency’s oversight, standards in higher education would deteriorate. 

On June 14, MQA chief executive Prof Dr Mohammad Shatar Sabran (left) said Malaysian higher education met international standards and dismissed claims that declining standards were behind graduate employment difficulties. 

He maintained that strong academic results alone were no longer sufficient and graduates must equip themselves with additional skills to remain competitive.

Zongzi Embraces New Flavors and Forms

Every year, on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, drums return to rivers and lakes across China. Long, narrow boats cut through the water. Families unwrap sticky rice dumplings. Herbs appear on doors. Children wear threads of five colors around their wrists. 

This is the Dragon Boat Festival or Duanwu Festival, one of China's oldest traditional holidays. 

To many people outside China, the festival is best known for dragon boat racing. But the race is only one part of a much older tradition. Dragon Boat Festival brings together seasonal protection, food culture, family rituals and the memory of Qu Yuan, a poet and statesman whose story has shaped Chinese cultural imagination for more than two millennia. 

And in 2009, China's Dragon Boat Festival was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, recognizing its ceremonies, food customs, sports events and community practices as part of a living cultural tradition.

With Dragon Boat Festival falling on Friday this year, bamboo leaves are once again returning to kitchens and food counters across China. Inside them, glutinous rice is wrapped, tied and steamed – forming zongzi, a seasonal staple that has long marked the arrival of summer.  

At its core, zongzi is defined as much by texture as by flavor. The glutinous rice becomes dense yet soft after steaming, with a sticky elasticity that holds its shape while remaining deliciously soft. 

Depending on regional styles, it can range from delicately loose and fragrant in lighter versions, to compact and richly layered in more indulgent savory varieties, where rice absorbs the oils and aromas of fillings such as pork or egg yolks.

More than a festival dish, zongzi is a culinary marker of time. It's a signature of the season and carries with it memories of family gatherings, regional traditions and seasonal rhythms. 

While the traditional recipes remain cherished, zongzi is also entering a new era of culinary reinvention. 

Food producers and chefs are introducing fillings inspired by desserts, beverages and fusion cuisine, including rose and hawthorn, taro with mochi, coconut cream and increasingly experimental savory combinations. The changes are seen by industry observers as an expansion of flavor options rather than a replacement of traditional recipes.

Packaging design has also become a key area of development, with festival foods increasingly positioned as gifts. 

At the Bvlgari Hotel Beijing, for example, Dragon Boat Festival gift boxes draw on the brand's Divas' Dream motif, blending Italian design elements with Chinese festive aesthetics. The boxes contain reinterpreted zongzi flavors, such as abalone with ham and dried scallop, and bird's nest with purple rice. 

At Huang Ting Chinese restaurant at the Peninsula Beijing, this year's selection includes green Sichuan pepper beef zongzi, pork with abalone, custard lava zongzi and honey jujube zongzi. 

The green Sichuan pepper beef variety delivers a distinctive numbing-spicy flavor, while the custard lava version adapts a popular dessert filling to the traditional rice dumpling format. 

Design and storytelling have also become an important part of festive food offerings. Global lifestyle and coffee brands operating in China have joined the seasonal trend, with Starbucks China introducing themed zongzi collections and crossover cultural collaborations. 

One recent initiative by Starbucks China is inspired by the acclaimed dance drama The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting, itself based on the Song Dynasty (960-1279) masterpiece "A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains" (只此青绿). The resulting product line features reinterpreted zongzi flavors such as rose and hawthorn, taro with mochi, coconut, and fermented rice with mung bean. Its packaging unfolds like a traditional landscape scroll, turning the opening of the gift box into an immersive cultural experience. 

Despite evolving forms and flavors, the cultural essence of zongzi remains consistent. As a seasonal delicacy, it continues to represent family gatherings, shared memories and the passing down of tradition – now reimagined through contemporary culinary language.

Malaysia too has its zongzi – we call it "Bak Chang" (from the Hokkien term for meat dumpling). 

Me, I prefer the nyonya chang. It is instantly recognizable because the glutinous rice is wrapped in fragrant pandan leaves (sometimes tinted blue with butterfly pea flower) and the filling is a delicious sweet-savory blend of spiced, minced pork, minced mushroom, and candied winter melon.