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

Key Highlights

• MRR2 highway tragedy
  
  
• Cleaning up 1MDB
  
  
• Umno bids PM farewell
  
  

MRR2 highway tragedy

A portion of the unfinished Sungai Besi–Ulu Klang Expressway (Suke) collapsed again, this time crushing a van and killing two.

Several infrastructure projects are ongoing in the Klang Valley with construction works above busy roads.

But the Suke, which is being built above the Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2) Highway, has seen a number of serious incidents.

Last September, a concrete slab from the Suke crushed a car along the same stretch of road.

The driver survived in that incident and the contractors were fined RM180,000.

HIGHLIGHTS

	Not all cinemas survived for reopening MBO Cinemas bites the dust.
	'Malaysia can't represent human rights at UN if...' PN govt not practising what it preaches at home.
	'Don't disappoint your mom' Slogan of new anti-graft campaign.

Cleaning up 1MDB

Deloitte, the auditor responsible for approving 1MDB’s controversial accounts, agreed to a RM324 million settlement with Putrajaya.

Last week, Ambank entered into a RM2.83 billion settlement with the government for failing to act against ex-prime minister Najib Abdul Razak’s bank accounts which received 1MDB-linked funds.

Last July, the government also entered into a settlement with Goldman Sachs, which paid US$2.5 billion (RM10.13 billion). It had raised bonds for 1MDB which was misappropriated.

This was on top of around RM2.69 billion returned to Malaysia by foreign authorities which tracked down 1MDB’s laundered funds abroad.

Despite the recovery, it is still less than half of 1MDB’s RM32.3 billion debt, which was substantially stolen and Malaysians must repay for years to come. 

HIGHLIGHTS

	Ambank's share price plummets This is after RM2.83bil settlement.
	PKR defector: Opposition can't retake Putrajaya 'There is disunity in the opposition'.
	16 ex-members fail to dissolve Umno Federal Court dismisses appeal.

Umno bids PM farewell

Umno formally submitted a letter to Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin informing him that they will sever ties with Bersatu and Perikatan Nasional in the next general election.

The move is being spearheaded by Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is part of the anti-PN faction.

But Umno leaders who are pro-PN pushed back against the move.

Keep an eye out for Umno’s annual general assembly on March 27 and 28 to see which faction comes out on top in the jostling.

HIGHLIGHTS

	'No more MCO, so when will Parliament sit?' Umno president wants to know.
	'No need for Parliament sitting during emergency' 'Ordinances can be made without Parliament'.
	Annuar: Umno will be disadvantaged 'This is if it cut ties with PN during GE15'.

A daily glance at Covid-19

• 1,745 new cases and 7 deaths yesterday (March 3).
  
  
• Active cases, a measure of the strain on hospitals, declined for seven consecutive days from 30,677 to 24,025.
  
  
• The number of patients in the intensive care unit remains stubborn, fluctuating between 190 and 205 in the last week. Yesterday was 195.
  
  
• For trends on daily cases, individuals tested, hospital bed capacity and more, follow our Covid-19 tracker.
  
  

What else is happening?

• Police are investigating Tawfiq Ayman, the husband of former Bank Negara governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz, for allegedly receiving 1MDB-linked funds.
  
  
• If you've registered for vaccination on MySejahtera but did not receive the timeline screen, the update will come soon. You haven't been left out, according to immunisation minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
  
  
• The prices of RON95, RON97 and diesel remain at RM2.05, RM2.35 and RM2.15 per litre respectively for March 4 to 10.
  
  
• The Federal Court released the detailed judgment on its contempt of court finding against Malaysiakini in which it justifies the hefty RM500,000 fine.
  
  
• Warisan failed to force out an assemblyperson who defected by submitting a pre-signed resignation letter to the state speaker.
  
  
  

HIGHLIGHTS

	‘No one got Covid-19 due to Parliament' Harapan pans de facto law minister.
	First batch of Astrazeneca vaccine in Q2 This was after conditional approval.
	Officials uncertain if HK man died due to vaccine He received China's Sinovac vaccine.

What are people saying?

	Why does the PM make me think of Buster Keaton? By Thor Kah Hoong
	Why Guan Eng's entitled to sue Perkasa By Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh
	Why Guan Eng shouldn't have been allowed to sue Perkasa By Ding Jo-Ann & New Sin Yew

CARTOON KINI