Good morning. Here's what you need to know today.

Key Highlights

  • The King and Najib

  • 1MDB loan debt

  • Maips cut off




The King and Najib

Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Karim launched a rebuke against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's advisors.

This is for failing to advise the king against inviting former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak to a buka puasa dinner the monarch hosted in April.

The PKR lawmaker said having Najib - who has been convicted for graft - at the dinner, had sullied the Agong's condemnation against corruption.

Previously, former Malaysian Bar president Ambiga Sreenevasan said Najib's presence was also disrespectful to the judiciary and its judges, who were also at the royal dinner.

HIGHLIGHTS

S’gor Tengku Permaisuri to graduates: Ensure M'sia remains sovereign
'One of the ways is for us to be united.'
State PAS chief summoned to face S'gor sultan
This follows the PAS man telling Muslims not to attend Bon Odori.
Najib and family given a sneak preview of Putrajaya MRT before launch
PM will officially launch it tomorrow morning.




1MDB loan debt

In the 1MBD scandal, a US$3 billion (RM13.3 billion) loan taken by 1MDB in 2013, for which Najib signed a letter of support, also continues to haunt the country.

A former Finance Ministry officer testified in court that because of Najib's support, the government had to bear the debt when 1MDB was not able to service the loan.

The debt has not been settled.

The loan was supposed to help fund the development of the Tun Razak Exchange.

However, prosecutors and investigators contend that part of the loan was misappropriated, and is the source of the fabled US$681 million that ended up in Najib's accounts.

Najib claims the money was a political donation from Saudi royals.

HIGHLIGHTS

Jho Low's associate bankrupt over RM68m tax arrears
Eric Tan fails to enter an appearance in the suit filed by IRB.
LGE: Drop in competitiveness ranking warning of govt's failure
Malaysia drops by seven places from last year.
Cambodian syndicate threatens to sell scam victim's organs
Tay Poh Chai headed there after being promised a lucrative job.




Maips cut off

A civil court struck down the bid by the Perlis Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (Maips) to intervene in the divorce proceedings between Loh Siew Hong and her Muslim-convert former husband.

The ruling also cuts off Maips' access to Loh's three children - who had been unilaterally converted to Islam in Perlis.

The court ruled that Maips had failed to prove it was an interested party in relation to the betterment of the children’s lives.

HIGHLIGHTS

Court dismisses Muslim-born woman’s bid to leave Islam
No grounds were given for the judgment.
Naza group chair's ex-wife challenges Syariah sentencing
Emilia was sentenced to seven days in jail.
Nhaveen’s family seeks AGC's help to set up Anti-Bullying Act
The teen was brutally assaulted by bullies and he died from the injuries.



What are people saying?

Mandatory death penalty abolishment - step by step
By Azalina Othman Said
Few believe Khir Toyo’s mea culpa
By Malaysiakini readers
Malaysia says no to single-use plastic
By Thoo Yin Ying



What else is happening?

  • The Kelantan government said it should not be blamed for illegal logging in the state.

  • Youth and Sports Minister Ahmad Faizal Azumu took an insult telling him not to be a ‘glue sniffer’, made at the Asian Cup qualifier match between Malaysia and Bangladesh, saying it was good advice.

  • Malaysiakini interviews rapper Yogi B - one of the forces behind Poetic Ammo - about his new music, and mentoring future rappers.

HIGHLIGHTS

Kelantan MACC reviewing exposé on logging in Nenggiri forest reserve
This is after Husam's claim of illegal logging.
Employment Act amendments take effect on Sept 1
Workers in Sabah, S'wak want their labour ordinances to reflect the same amendments.
Open-source site selling personal data blocked
Action was taken on the same day the website's activities were exposed.