Good morning, here's what you need to know today.


Key Highlights

  • Prime ministerial candidate

  • RM320mil gone

  • Twist in sexual assault case



Prime ministerial candidate

Umno’s plan for BN to take on PN in GE15 has not sat well with its BN partners.

MIC president S Vigneswaran said BN cannot go into GE15 without a captain and asked who will be the prime ministerial candidate.

This is a hot potato issue Umno avoided as its presumed candidate Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is facing graft charges.

The alternative is his deputy Mohamad Hasan. But challenging the Umno president is politically perilous. Mohamad has only joked about becoming the PM candidate.

Meanwhile, MCA when asked about Umno’s plan, said any decision taken should be agreed on collectively.



HIGHLIGHTS

Umno ministers meet PM at Perdana Putra
This amid Umno's plan to quit the PN government.
'Umno open to working with any party after GE15'
But no DAP, PKR and Bersatu for now.
MIC wants to know Umno's post-GE15 coalition
'Are DAP, PKR and Bersatu acceptable after GE15?'

 



RM320 million gone

The final price tag is in. Malaysia paid RM320.07 million to Singapore for terminating the High-Speed Rail project with Singapore.

How much is RM320.07 million? For context, Penang’s development expenditure under the state’s 2021 budget is RM294.1 million.

Putrajaya previously said it wanted changes as the project was no longer financially viable under the country’s pandemic-hit economy but this was rejected by Singapore.

Another rail project facing challenges is the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL).

The PN government wants to revert to the BN-era alignment but Selangor wants to keep the Pakatan Harapan-era alignment and is withholding land approvals.

Putrajaya warned this could cost the government RM1.25 million a day.



HIGHLIGHTS

Pejuang still denied registration
This was despite complying with changes.
Zaid ticks off 'politically polygamous' men
'Future with women leaders.'
'Be prepared to renegotiate federal set-up'
Upko's message to Umno.

 



Twist in sexual assault case

A police report alleging ex-Air Putih assemblyperson Ahmad Nizam Wan Abdul Hamid (above) sexually assaulted his friend’s wife will see that friend being charged in court.

Ahmad Nizam said he had never been to the friend’s home in Selangor nor molested the friend’s wife.

Instead, he said the friend had assaulted him over a debt dispute in Terengganu and later made the molest claim to tarnish him.

The Terengganu police investigated the assault while the Selangor police probed the molest claim.

The Terengganu police have moved faster, with investigation papers submitted to the deputy public prosecutor and charges about to be filed.



HIGHLIGHTS

Teen rape: Lawyers told to pick accused or cops
Prosecution says they shouldn't represent both.
Graft trial of ex-minister's aide begins Oct 1
The accused allegedly took RM3 million in bribes.
Court dismisses defamation suit against Husam
Air Kelantan had sued him.

  


A daily glance at Covid-19

  • 941 new cases and five deaths yesterday (March 29).

  • This is the first time fresh infections dipped under 1,000 this year. The last time it was in the three-digit range was on Dec 9 last year.

  • Selangor managed to maintain under 300 new cases for three consecutive days but Sarawak is the state to watch as it sees an increasing number of spikes, although yesterday was a manageable 192 new cases.

  • For trends on daily cases, tests, hospital beds capacity, vaccination progress and more, follow our Covid-19 tracker.


What else is happening?

  • The US can now seize and forfeit imported products from Top Glove after it listed the firm on the US Federal Register as likely to have used forced labour.

  • Phase 2 of the Covid-19 vaccination for the elderly, ill and differently-abled will commence on April 19. Look out for your appointment on the MySejahtera app.

  • Police have not called several ministers who allegedly travelled to Negeri Sembilan for a VIP's wedding despite an interstate travel ban as cops want to talk to the event organiser first.

  • PN assemblypersons complained the Harapan-led Penang government is depriving them of funding, the same treatment Harapan has criticised the federal government for.

  • Several participants at a gathering to protest the delay in lowering the voting age from 21 to 18 will be questioned by police today.

HIGHLIGHTS

Stop intimidating Undi18 protestors, cops told
Bersih cites freedom of assembly.
Kit Siang: Most OIC countries have Undi18
'What's PAS' excuse?'
A second round of discussion on Allah issue
It will take place in two weeks.

 


What are people saying?

How not to become 'Sick man of Southeast Asia'
By Bangi MP Ong Kian Ming
A lesson on keeping the faith during the pandemic
By Wong SP
Sabah, Sarawak must wake up to PAS' agenda
By Malaysiakini readers

 


CARTOON KINI