KINI ROUNDUP | Here are key headlines from yesterday you may have missed, in brief.

PM allegedly gives lawyer RM9.5mil

Whistle-blower portal Sarawak Report claimed that a senior lawyer involved in a high-profile court case had received RM9.5 million from Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Najib's lawyer Mohd Hafarizam Harun told the High Court in Kuala Lumpur that it would be "gravely prejudicial" if the prime minister was not allowed to intervene in former law minister Zaid Ibrahim's attempt to get AmBank to disclose Najib's personal bank accounts which had received billions of ringgit in deposits.

Parti Amanah Negara deputy president Salahuddin Ayub said Singapore had set a fine example by prosecuting those involved in the 1MDB scandal, which put Malaysia's handling of the controversy to shame.

PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution believes the 1MDB scandal will generate a “wave of rejection” against Najib.

Dr M may return as PM

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he is not in favour in making a comeback as prime minister but may consider it if Pakatan Harapan requests it.

Gerakan Youth chief Tan Keng Liang said Mahathir's comment indicates that PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim's ambition to become prime minister may be thwarted again.

Mahathir in a live interview session on Facebook said he had "repented" and was now trying to fix the problems plaguing the country.

He also defended Proton, which is set to sell a 49.9 percent stake to China's Geely, stating that he had even tested a Proton car by driving it up Genting Highlands in the company's early days.

Umno Youth took issue with Mahathir’s repeated criticism of the planned Proton sale to Geely and demanded that Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary, the boss of DRB-Hicom which owns Proton, explain the deal.

Petaling Jaya Utara Tony Pua asked for the new shareholders of Proton to guarantee the RM1.5 billion government soft loan so that taxpayers will not be dragged into possible future bailouts.

MH128 security scare

Sri Lankan Manodh Marks, 25, was charged with endangering an aircraft in Australia after his attempt to enter the cockpit of KL-bound Malaysia Airlines Flight MH128 prompted it to turn back to Melbourne Airport and caused a lockdown.

Victoria police chief Grahan Ashton said Marks was released from a psychiatric facility hours before he boarded the flight.

The National Flight Attendants Union Malaysia (Nufam) said the security incident aboard the aircraft showed the need for airlines to hire more male flight attendants.

Other Kini bites

Documents filed by Healy Baumgardner-Nardone, a former aide to Donald Trump, revealed details of the working relationship between her lobbying company and the Malaysian government.

The Nenggiri state seat in Kelantan was declared vacant after its incumbent Mat Yusoff Abdul Ghani from Umno became bankrupt, but no by-election will be held as it has been more than three years since the last general election.

The Selangor government was urged to intervene in the possible relocation of the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Subang Jaya, which has been in existence since at least 1891.

Electoral reform group Bersih is seeking to raise RM500,000 to fund four months of operations.

RHB Bank and AmBank have entered into discussions over the possibility of merging into a single entity.

Looking ahead

The Kuala Lumpur High Court will resume hearing Anwar's defamation case against Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak will be officiating the launching of China Development Bank in Malaysia.

Selangor exco V Ganabatirau will hold a press conference to address the relocation issue of the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman temple in Subang Jaya.