Tun Mahathir dah 100 tahun

July 11, 2025
  • LGMS is playing its cards to up its valuation before going to the Main Board of Bursa
  • Indonesia is becoming an aluminium powerhouse
  • All the US, China and Russia foreign ministers are in KL

IN Malaysia

Shorts

  • Tun Mahathir turns centenarian – Happy 100th Birthday, Tun Dr Mahathir and for being alive and older than sliced bread. In his interview with Singapore’s The Straits Times, merely two days before his birthday,  the negarawan said, despite his years of public service, he regrets resigning as premier in 2003 and believes his successors wasted 17 years, admitting flaws in choosing them, including current leader PM Anwar Ibrahim. Maybe both leaders should duduk ngopi and settle their differences. The last time they fought led to the 2020 leadership crisis 1998 Reformasi movement that created PKR. Nayo betul dua orang gaduh, satu Malaysia jadi mangsa.

https://x.com/kuasasiswa/status/1943206894845526269?s=52&t=OBU1GKhZcnZLHMAVeSQinA

Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/dr-m-at-100-still-haunted-by-the-malay-dilemma

  • LGMS is expanding – Malaysian-based cybersecurity services group, LGMS Bhd, has dished out RM22.68 mil to acquire a 27% stake in Antarex Holdings Sdn Bhd, in its move to strengthen its regional footprint and product offerings in the cybersecurity domain. However, the acquisition is contingent on Antarex completing its internal reorganisation, including the full acquisition of Singapore-based Antarex Cyber Pte Ltd and IPDC Solutions Pte Ltd. The deal also comes with a profit guarantee of RM24.5 mil in cumulative profit after tax for the enlarged Antarex group over three financial years from FY2026 to FY2028 (RM7 mil in FY2026, RM8.5 mil in FY2027 and RM9 mil in FY2028). The acquisition is also part of LGMS’ game plan before its imminent transfer to the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia.

Source: https://theedgemalaysia.com/node/762026

  • New chip design academy in Penang – Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow has unveiled the state’s new chip design academy (PCDA) to train 1,000 engineers specialising in integrated circuit (IC) design in the next five years. The first batch of 25 trainees has already started the intensive four to nine-week IC Design Mastery Courses from June 16. This move will further drive the pedal to the metal on the current aim to design, manufacture and produce Malaysian-made chips.

Source: https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/07/10/new-penang-chip-academy-targets-to-train-1000-ic-engineers-by-2030/183447

Around the SEA

Indonesia, boleh rilek sikit tak?

Aluminium industry moonshot – China-based companies such as Tsingshan Holding Group Co, China Hongqiao Group Ltd and  Shandong Nanshan Aluminum Co are spending billions of dollars to build or finance new smelters and refineries in Indonesia. While Malaysia enjoy the influx of data centres, Indonesia is opening doors to aluminium smelters. Indonesia accounted for roughly 7% global mine production a decade ago; it now accounts for closer to 60%, thanks to cheap coal power and Chinese smelters.

Source: https://theedgemalaysia.com/node/762076

In another unrelated news about minerals, the US is tearing one from China’s playbook by smuggling banned antimony from China, a metal used in batteries, chips and flame retardants, stateside via Thailand and Mexico. Hmm dia buat boleh, orang lain buat takleh. Ale ut*. According to the data – 

  • The US imported 3,834 metric tons of antimony oxides from Thailand and Mexico between December and April. That was more than almost the previous three years combined;
  • Thailand and Mexico shot into the top three export markets for Chinese antimony this year. Neither made the top 10 in 2023, the last full year before Beijing restricted exports.

Source: https://www.malaymail.com/news/money/2025/07/10/backdoor-metals-us-is-still-getting-chinas-banned-antimony-just-via-thailand-and-mexico/183324

  • More oil fields to be explored – After planning to explore the disputed Ambalat with Malaysia, now Indonesia is looking at UK-based BP to explore two blocks in Indonesia located near the offshore acreage that supplies feed gas to its Tangguh liquefied natural gas project in Papua Barat (West Papua) province. Indonesia is ramping up its oil production rate, as it is not a net oil producer, and it still imports a lot of its oil needs. Evidently, the state energy firm Pertamina, US-based  ExxonMobil, Chevron and other companies are slated to sign a memorandum of understanding for commodity purchases by Indonesia for a massive USD34 bil. The purchase also doubles as a negotiation strategy in order to secure a trade deal with the US. So, within ASEAN, only Vietnam managed to strike a deal. Perhaps the Vietnamese Trade Minister could be seconded to Malaysia to help us secure a deal. Our minister managed to increase the tariff instead of reducing it.

Source: https://www.upstreamonline.com/exploration/uk-supermajor-bp-eyes-more-acreage-in-indonesia/2-1-1844373?zephr_sso_ott=IqYktL

https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/US-Energy-Giants-Set-to-Sign-34-Billion-Worth-of-Deals-With-Indonesia.html

The holy trinity is in KL

The three godfathers of the world – the US, China and Russia have all sent their respective foreign ministers to Kuala Lumpur to attend the 8th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM). This situation makes Kuala Lumpur the most guarded capital in the region. Two of the trio, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, also had high-level talks for around 50 minutes, mainly on the Russia-Ukraine war.

Source: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2025/07/1242501/updated-lavrov-rubio-meet-kuala-lumpur-today

For your EYES only

Singer Akon’s dream to build a USD6 bil Wakanda-like city has become angan-angan Mat Jenin as the proposal has been abandoned and only an unfinished structure is there at the site of the city.

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