Grab is great. The Über of Asia. Maybe even better.

I ride back and forth to work daily for about 10 MYR per ride (just over 2 euros?). The cars and drivers are clean and tidy. All they ask of you is to give them a 5-star rating in the app. The cars are mostly Proton, a local Malaysian brand. “Never buy one,” the owners let me know.

I understand it is a sport here to maximize your motorcycle by stripping it completely of all unnecessary accessories, including the brakes. These stripped motorcycles are then raced on the highways. On the news, I heard that today, the 10th youngster in a short time has killed himself in this sport. “They never learn,” says my colleague.

At lunch, I drink Asam Boi, a local drink made from lemonade and pickled plums. The combination of the lemonade’s sweetness and the plums’ sourness is perfect.