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Key Highlights

• Sulaiman loses majority in Malacca
  
  

• The Pandora Papers
  
  

• Covid-19 in Langkawi
  
  

Sulaiman loses majority in Malacca

Nineteen months after the Pakatan Harapan-led Malacca government was brought down by an Umno-Bersatu alliance, the same coalition is now facing potential demise.

Two renegade Umno assemblypersons, along with one Bersatu and an independent, withdrew their support for Malacca Chief Minister Sulaiman Md Ali's government, erasing his majority.

Umno's Sungai Udang assemblyperson Idris Haron, who leads the rebels, is eyeing a comeback as the chief minister. He served as chief minister from 2013 to 2018.

Pakatan Harapan, which was initially reluctant about Idris' courtship, appeared to back his move after appearing with him at a joint press conference.

A disappointed Sulaiman said there was no indication that the rebels, three of whom are state executive councillors, were unhappy during the exco meetings.

Malacca Umno is now raising the possibility of snap polls and has received backing from Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

The situation is not unlike Sabah in July last year. Musa Aman, seeking to make a comeback as the Sabah chief minister, engineered defections.

Shafie Apdal, the Sabah chief minister at the time, outmanoeuvred him by seeking a dissolution of the State Legislative Assembly.

Sabah Governor Juhar Mahiruddin, seen as Shafie's ally, snubbed Musa's request for a meeting and dissolved the State Assembly.

Likewise, Malacca Governor Ali Rustam is an Umno man and served as chief minister from 1999 to 2013. He is seen to be friendly to Sulaiman.

For now, Ali Rustam's office said he has yet to receive a request for a meeting.

A similar scenario could play out in Malacca - but they are also mindful that the Sabah snap polls plunged the country knee-deep into the Covid-19 pandemic, which has so far claimed more than 26,000 lives.

Sulaiman's government may still seriously contemplate snap polls as most people are now vaccinated and the pandemic situation appears to be improving, although it is not out of the woods.

HIGHLIGHTS

	MIC waits for a signal from BN on the direction with PN Saravanan says MIC won't act unilaterally.
	MIC has no qualms with Zahid's offer to Makkal Sakthi Zahid offered the BN-friendly party to contest in GE15.
	Baling MP seeks RCI on the prosecution against Umno leaders Abdul Azeez names his proposal as 'Tommy Thomas RCI'.

The Pandora Papers

International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) released the Pandora Papers, leaked documents belonging to financial service firms that help super-wealthy clients to keep their wealth abroad.

Malaysiakini, which is ICIJ's partner for Malaysia, reviewed the documents and found several Malaysian figures including former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz and Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi listed in them.

Zahid maintained he wasn't evading taxes but the overseas investment he was involved in required the profits to be reinvested back into the same country, which he did not reveal.

Tengku Zafrul said his directorship in an offshore firm was from his days with Kenanga Holdings Berhad and he no longer held the position.

Meanwhile, Daim rued Malaysiakini's "obsession" with him and maintained that his offshore trusts were legitimate.

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, whose party lieutenant was also named, called for the Pandora Papers to be debated in Parliament.

HIGHLIGHTS

	Najib to apply for a stay of SRC's civil case This is pending an appeal in the criminal case.
	Bersih reminds of past scandals after MPs appointed to GLCs It raised the 1MDB, Felda and Tabung Haji scandals.
	'PAC reports need to be debated in Dewan Rakyat' This is to foster transparency, says PAC chair.

Covid-19 in Langkawi

Langkawi, which served as a litmus test for the resumption of tourism activities, has reported 149 Covid-19 cases.

Many of these were caught at entry points rather than community transmissions as the government has set up a "travel bubble".

However, a notable local transmission involved a hotel where 59 of its staff tested positive for Covid-19. The hotel is temporarily closed.

The government is allowing fully vaccinated people to travel to Langkawi under strict conditions as a pilot for similar tourism bubbles in future - but the recent transmissions show there is still a long way to go before full reopening.

HIGHLIGHTS

	'Malaysians enraged by empty syringe vaccinations' Authorities must beef up on the SOPs, says rep.
	First dose vaccination rate for Form 5 students at 90pct The health minister reveals this as schools reopened.
	KJ bids farewell to 'crown jewel' PPV Booster shots will be delegated to clinics.

 

A daily glance at Covid-19

• 8,075 new cases yesterday (Oct 4), the lowest since July 7.
  
  
• Selangor, with 686 new cases, was the lowest since May 4 while Kuala Lumpur, with 151 fresh infections, was the lowest since April 14, showing the epicentre has shifted away from the Klang Valley.
  
  
• A total of 76 deaths were reported yesterday, the lowest in 92 days. The death toll now stands at 26,759.
  
  

What else is happening?

• Police are investigating Pasir Puteh Bersatu vice-chief Borhanudin Che Rahim for using a racial slur against a national shuttler. He had since issued an apology.
  
  
• A third worker has died at a Top Glove factory. Top Glove says the death is still under investigation and that it is committed to the health of its workers. It previously declined to comment on the two other deaths.
  
  
• Graphic artist Fahmi Reza was questioned by police and briefly arrested for his satirical poster of Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and his Keluarga Malaysia slogan.
  
  
• The government will issue a special certificate for people who are unable to vaccinate against Covid-19 due to legitimate health reasons.
  

HIGHLIGHTS

	Rosmah to stand trial after failing to get stay The Court of Appeal unanimously rejected her appeal.
	Home Ministry seeks to lower costs of detaining prisoners The cost for 317,674 prisoners from 2016 to 2020 was RM4.95b.
	Shafie: Affirmative actions should not be about giving 'perpetual assistance' The Warisan chief gives his take on the bumiputera equity quota.

What are people saying?

	High value manufacturing in M'sia deserves boost in 12MP By Harith Ismail
	Plea from a mother to all parents: Please get your kids vaccinated! By Deborah Liew
	Literature and questions of national importance By William Tham Wai Liang

CARTOON KINI