Finally made the decision to get some drivability mods without breaking the bank.
Picked up a 2013 stock header and midpipe for 250 MYR (about 58 USD), gutted the header and sold the contents for 200 MYR (46 USD). The previous owner wanted the midpipe to go as well, so it either goes to the scrap or to another person's hands and I essentially got the header for free.
FWIW I'm retaining the second cat down the line for myself and the environment.
Inside the cat:
Pieces gutted out. Fiber packing removed too (top right).
About 350 grams for the cat contents.
Whoops left a piece out.
Header on block end had some baked carbon in it, so getting a mini flap sander to clear it out first thing tomorrow.