Key headlines that you may have missed yesterday, in brief.

TMJ accuses the SB of spying on him

Johor crown prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim has claimed that his phone is being tapped and his movements monitored by the police Special Branch, alleging that the Bukit Aman police headquarters had opened files on him and his father, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar.

This, as the Johor ruler had asked all quarters not to ruin the good ties between the Royal Johor Military Force (ATSNJ) and the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM), explaining that the Johor force is only to act as the second line of defence and not replace the armed forces as Malaysia's security bulwark.

1MDB chalks up another default

1MDB had once again defaulted on an interest payment on a bond issue, though Abu Dhabi’s state-owned International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) had paid the US$52.4 million due, but said that it will claim back the payments along with a previous interest pay-out and other claims from the troubled Malaysian sovereign fund.

Claiming that it has funds to spare, 1MDB said it deferred payment on the US$52.4 million interest due on the US$1.75 billion bonds issued by its subsidiary 1MDB Energy Limited (Energy Notes), citing the ongoing dispute with IPIC as the reason.

On news of the recent default, 1MDB bonds dipped to its lowest level in the past two weeks, just after the firm's previous decision to default on an earlier interest payment due to another IPIC guaranteed bond issue.

American ratings agency Standard and Poor’s noted that the dispute between 1MDB and IPIC could lead to a disorderly change in government, which doesn't bode well for the country’s political stability and policy continuity.

DAP parliamentarian Tony Pua argued that Malaysians may eventually have to foot the bill for 1MDB's defaults as the government could end up having to pay using taxpayers’ monies.

Meanwhile, newly-minted Bank Negara governor Muhammad Ibrahim has expressed confidence that the government will clear its debts in relation to 1MDB.

More opposition clashes in by-elections

The clashes between DAP and PKR during the Sarawak state polls have spilled over to the peninsular, posing a challenge to the opposition front in the coming by-elections in Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar as there could be multi-cornered fights all over again.

Amanah’s Kuala Terengganu MP Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad has warned Pakatan Harapan and PAS not to fall into the trap of battling against each other in the upcoming by-elections for it will only benefit the ruling BN.

An observer noted that the answer to the question of opposition unity is whether the nascent Harapan sees itself as a true marriage between partners or just a one-night stand that can be discarded when things are not convenient.

More Kini bites

Sekijang Umno MP Anuar Abdul Manap and Umno division leader Wan Zawawi Wan Zain have today been ordered by the High Court in Kuala Lumpur to each pay RM50,000 to PAS-linked National Association of Children of Felda Settlers (Anak) chairperson Mazlan Aliman.

The Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) have lodged a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2012 with the Penang government for details on the Penang highway, tunnel and public transport projects.

Residents of the USJ 17 Restrees guarded community complained that the extension of the LRT Kelana Jaya line, which sees the USJ 21 station built a mere 10 metres away from their community fence, may pose invasion of privacy issues as what they do in their yard is now an open spectacle for train commuters.

Looking ahead

School teacher Indira Gandhi's lawyers along with experts in the field of child, women and Islamic law will hold a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today to discuss her application for leave to appeal at the Federal Court after losing a judicial review case in the appellate court over the unilateral conversion of her children by her Muslim convert ex-husband.

The Court of Appeal had on December last year overturned a High Court decision quashing the unilateral conversion of three children by their now Muslim father.