Good morning! First of, I'd like to wish our readers a happy and joyous Deepavali in advance.

Kini Morning Brief will be taking a break during the holiday tomorrow to enjoy some nei urundai and laddu.

We'll be back with a recap of the news on Friday (Nov 5).

In the meantime, here's what you need to know today.

Key Highlights

  • 'Frogs' deepen cracks in Harapan

  • PAS still playing both sides

  • Bullies guilty of homicide



'Frogs' deepen cracks in Harapan

Tensions are high in Pakatan Harapan over whether or not to field two former Umno assemblypersons in the Malacca state election.

Sources indicated that PKR and Amanah will field Idris Haron and Nor Azman Hassan, although who will contest under which party is yet to be determined.

DAP, in a strongly-worded statement, said taking up party hoppers was a bad idea and urged PKR and Amanah to change course.

PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, however, argued that the coalition could not abandon the duo, as they had only quit the BN-led Malacca government after talks with Harapan.

The move is also expected to be unpopular with reformists in PKR.

Previously, DAP had also butted heads with PKR over which logo the coalition should use - and at the time, it had Amanah on its side.

HIGHLIGHTS

New Malacca govt won't be short-lived - Chin Tong
Voting still matters, he says
Azalina pushes for an anti-hopping bill in Malacca
She says the agenda should guide voters.
Shafee explains KJ's 'main belakang' remarks
'It referred to opposition pact, not sodomy case.'

 



PAS still playing both sides

PAS is still hedging its bets with both Umno and Bersatu.

At first, it appeared that the party had drawn a line in the sand when it decided to contest in the Malacca polls using the Perikatan Nasional banner.

This is as Umno said it would only cooperate with PAS if the party used its own logo.

However, senior PAS leader Nasrudin Hassan said this doesn't mean the end of cooperation and illustrated how the party could serve as the bridge between Bersatu and Umno to indirectly work with each other.

This, he said, would ensure straight fights against Pakatan Harapan.

HIGHLIGHT

Let people judge Bersatu's foes - Azmin
'PN initiated cooperation for the people.'
MOH fines PN, Umno over Malacca activities
RM24k in compounds issued.
No issues facing Sarawak election - PBB veep
'This is despite James Masing's passing'.

 



Bullies guilty of homicide

Four years after his death, Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) cadet officer Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain and his family have received justice.

Zulfarhan, 21, had died after being beaten and burned with a steam iron by his university mates.

Six of Zulfarhan's comrades-turned-bullies have been found guilty of culpable homicide by the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.

They have been sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment, served from the date of their arrests on June 1, 2017.

Twelve others have been found guilty of injuring Zulfarhan and were sentenced to three years' jail. They were allowed a stay of execution pending appeal.

HIGHLIGHTS

Schools told not to be strict on uniforms
Proper dress in class is enough.
Contract doctors to strike again
This is over the 'disappointing' Budget 2022.
MySejahtera won't track down gambling Muslims
KJ: App is not moral policing.

 


A daily glance at Covid-19

  • 5,071 new cases yesterday (Nov 2)

  • 70 deaths bring the number of fatalities to 29,045, breaching the 29.000 mark.

New cases by state:

Selangor (899)
Kelantan (688)
Sabah (549)
Sarawak (528)
Johor (419)
Kedah (347)
Penang (276)
Kuala Lumpur (259)
Pahang (250)
Perak (219)
Terengganu (217)
Malacca (214)
Negeri Sembilan (119)
Perlis (54)
Putrajaya (33)
Labuan (0)


What else is happening?

  • The family of intellectually-challenged inmate Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam - who is on death row in Singapore - will be crossing the border to meet him and celebrate Deepavali together for the first time in three years, and possibly, the last time.

  • Kelantan's newly enforced syariah law - applicable only to Muslims - criminalises 24 new offences including sorcery, necrophilia, having tattoos and under-weighing goods.

  • Period poverty is in the spotlight again after being highlighted in Budget 2022 - but some like Nurulhidayah Ahmad Zahid don't believe it's a problem in Malaysia, claiming that pads are "cheap".

HIGHLIGHTS

Dr M warns govt against borrowing to pay debts
'It may lead the country to bankruptcy.'
Shafie proposes 'luxury tax'
This is to boost govt revenue.
Nadiah Wan youngest CEO in Forbes list
She's on Asia's Power Businesswomen 2021 list.

 


What are people saying

Budget 2022: The devil is in the details
By Liew Chin Tong
Timah whiskey row shows what's wrong with Malayan politics
By Wilfred Madius Tangau
Appeal to Singapore govt: Abandon 'barbarism'
By Nathaniel Tan