Here’s a recap of major headlines yesterday you may have missed.
PM's shopping spree
How Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his family spent billions of ringgit which had been deposited into his personal bank accounts over the past five years continue to grab headlines.
The Wall Street Journal reported that at least US$15 million (RM60 million) went to cars, holidays, shopping and jewellery. Money also flowed to Najib's brother Nazir and son Norashman.
Najib's press secretary Tengku Sariffuddin leapt on the report, claiming that it was an admission that the billions Najib received was indeed a Saudi donation but was conspicuously silent on the alleged lavish spending.
1MDB saga widens
1MDB president Arul Kanda Kandasamy is looking to exit the controversial state-owned fund just as international investigators continue to close in on the company. He said his job was done and his three-year contract would end soon.
Luxembourg is the latest country to investigate 1MDB for money laundering, following probes in the US, Singapore, Switzerland and Hong Kong.
Singapore Monetary Authority is looking at transactions of funds of as little as US$50,000 to see if any laundering of 1MDB funds was broken into small parcels to avoid detection and has asked almost 40 banks to provide information .
BN squeezes Mahathir
Dr Mahathir Mohamad resigned as Proton chairperson amid concerns that Putrajaya may refuse desperately needed grant for the automaker if the former prime minister remains at the company.
Posted by Malaysiakini on Thursday, March 31, 2016
However, Mahathir is not showing signs of backing down in his campaign against Najib as he formally filed his suit against the prime minister for breach of fiduciary duty and misfeasance in public office.
Najib's government is also looking to tighten the noose against Mahathir, with a deputy minister stating that the ex-prime minister should be allowed to speak more so that there will be more material to charge him with.
Other Kini bites
Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem announced that the state assembly will be dissolved on April 11 .
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng accused Umno's Tasek Gelugor MP Shahbudin Yahaya of selling state land below market price after the latter accused him of buying a bungalow below market price.
Posted by Malaysiakini on Thursday, March 31, 2016
RON95 will be RM1.70 per litre and RON97 will be RON2.05 per litre effective today, up 10 sen respectively while diesel is up 20 sen to RM1.55 per litre.
Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia rules that no more questions on Najib's RM2.6 billion will be allowed in Parliament despite earlier lashing out at a minister for making a similar ruling.
The senior official involved in the RM100 million embezzlement at the Youth and Sports Ministry was slapped with 32 charges of abusing his position and making false claims.
DAP is satisfied after being allowed to look at the books of a MIC-controlled foundation which received RM19 million from the government.
Looking ahead
Parliament breaks for the weekend. There is no sitting today. Proceedings will resume on Monday.
A protest against the Goods and Services Tax (GST) is expected to be held at the Customs Department later this morning.
Another protest against GST is planned tomorrow in Dataran Merdeka but the police have declared the historic square off-limits.
Protesters are to gather at Sogo shopping mall at 2pm on Saturday before marching to Dataran Merdeka.
