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

Kit Siang on a non-Malay PM

DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang said he never wanted to become prime minister, nor did he expect to see Malaysia under a non-Malay prime minister in this century.

However, Umno supreme council member Mohd Puad Zarkashi accused Lim of harbouring plans to install a puppet prime minister.

PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail rejected calls for her to become the next Penang chief minister and the first Malay one in the sate.

Perak Menteri Besar Zambry Abd Kadir denied a report by Bernama quoting him as accusing Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng of inciting religious conflict.

Najib criticises full meritocracy

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak touted a quota for Indian students in tertiary education introduced under his leadership and claimed full meritocracy under the previous administration had victimised Indian students.

Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) chairperson Shahrir Abdul Samad likened Felda's sale of its hotel assets to selling a Ferrari, stating that it would hurt one's ego but there was no real loss.

MACC said it cannot probe claims by blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin that former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad paid RM1 billion to DAP's Lim Kit Siang as political financing did not fall under its jurisdiction.

Hadi speaks out against Malaysian Malaysia

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang (photo) said Islam rejects secularism, chauvinism and Malaysian Malaysia, which is DAP's slogan.

Kelantan Umno liaison chief Mustapa Mohamed said Umno was adopting a non-confrontational approach with regard to the PAS-led Kelantan government, stressing their common Malay and Muslim roots.

Amanah president Mohamad Sabu dismissed claims that DAP was out to install a Christian state, pointing out that even if the party wanted to, it did not have the numbers in Parliament nor the consent of the Malay rulers.

Other Kinibites

The latest edition of Malaysians Kini follows Tengku Emma Zuriana, who has worked to help the Rohingya community.

The Selangor government insists it has jurisdiction over the Taman Putra Damai People's Housing Project and urged residents to stop paying maintenance fees to the federal government.

Organisers of the anti-kleptocracy rally on Oct 14 are ramping up promotional efforts amid lukewarm response from the public.

Umno's Baling MP Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim dished out some 6,000 sarees and kurtas as Deepavali goodies in his constituency.

Johor police said family troubles may have led to the death of a couple and their two children in a suspected murder-suicide.

Looking ahead

A coalition of civil society organisations is calling for a press conference to weigh into what it described as the government's crackdown on intellectuals.

The trial of Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah's suit against Sungai Besar Umno chief Jamal Md Yunos over linking Bersih to the Islamic State will commence in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng will address the press about the party's leadership re-election next month.