LEMON BLOG

Every now and then, a headline comes along that sounds almost unreal until you read the details. This is one of them: a Malaysian entrepreneur has sold the domain AI.com for US$70 million (around RM276 million), and the entire deal was paid in cryptocurrency.

If you've ever paid for petrol using the outdoor "pay-at-pump" terminal, you'll know how quick and convenient it is. But that convenience is now part of a bigger discussion, because the government is looking at whether overseas-registered credit cards should be blocked at these terminals, especially at petrol stations.

If you're one of the Malaysians eligible for the RM100 SARA cashless aid, yesterday was the day it starts landing and becoming usable. Like the previous round, the assistance is aimed at helping with everyday essentials, and the funds remain usable right through to the end of the year. In other words, it's not a "use it this week or lose it" situation, but something you can stretch out when you actually need it.

If you're planning to balik kampung, visit relatives, or just escape the city for a couple of days, here's a small but very real win for your wallet: the government has announced a 50% toll discount for Chinese New Year travel, happening on 14 and 15 February. Those two days fall on the weekend right before Chinese New Year, which is usually when highways start getting busy with people moving around.

For the past couple of years, Malaysia's data centre story has mostly been framed as a win: big names coming in, billions in investment, and a growing reputation as a regional hub for cloud and AI infrastructure. But in Johor, that narrative has now met its first very public speed bump.