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Key Highlights

• Najib guilty Part II: The 'embarrassment'
  
  
• ATMs, hungry mouths on Sarawak voters' minds
  
  
• PM tells students to keep emotions in check
  
  

Najib guilty Part II: The 'embarrassment'

The Court of Appeal yesterday unanimously upheld the guilty conviction against former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak in relation to the RM42 million SRC International scale.

The summary judgment was a major blow to Najib. Among others, the court said Najib's argument that the RM42 million in his accounts clearly originated from SRC International and not from Arab donors, as Najib had claimed.

The biggest stinger, however, was the court saying that Najib's actions were not an act of national service, but rather a "national embarrassment".

Najib was taken aback by this declaration and he tried to steer attention to his arch-nemesis Dr Mahathir Mohamad and the forex scandal in the 1990s, which he said was a more colossal national embarrassment.

Despite a second guilty verdict, Najib is still a free man for now. His 12-year jail sentence was stayed pending his final appeal to the Federal Court.

HIGHLIGHTS

	Roadblock in Najib's GE15 comeback He must win in the Federal Court to contest.
	DPP: SRC verdict exonerates trial judge There was an attack on the judge’s findings.
	Rosmah's graft trial postponed She is a Covid-19 close contact.

ATMs, hungry mouths on Sarawak voters' minds

The Sarawak state election often serves as a stark reminder that outside of urban cities, many basic facilities are often lacking.

In Julau, a town with 20,000 people, there is no bank and the only ATM in town quickly runs out of cash to disburse on weekends.

The town also lacks a petrol station, despite being promised one in at least four elections.

Meanwhile, the flag war taking place in some areas are reportedly reminding some voters of the flags put up during the Hungry Ghost festival.

Sarawak DAP deputy chief David Wong, however, is more concerned with hungry mouths and said that if every flag was a lunch box, no one in Sibu would suffer from hunger.

HIGHLIGHTS

	GPS promises political independence It's one of 33 manifesto pledges.
	DAP: GPS lying to voters about PAS 'PAS policies do affect Sarawak.'
	Tiong: I'm coming home to serve Bintulu MP defends contesting in Sibu.

PM tells students to keep emotions in check

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob says students are free to criticise the government.

However, as is often the advice from older people, Ismail said such criticism must be accompanied by facts and shouldn't be emotional.

He tempered his advice by saying that the government was confident in the ability of youths aged 18 and older to decide who deserves to be their leader.

Earlier this year PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, in supporting a delay in lowering the voting age, argued that 18-year-olds may lack the maturity to vote.

HIGHLIGHTS

	New voters registered one month after 18th b'day 'Process takes up to 1.5 months.'
	Rais: Teach Malay customs in schools 'This is to ensure assimilation.'
	Only saliva Covid-19 tests in schools Nasal swab tests are not allowed.

A daily glance at Covid-19

• 5,020 new cases yesterday (Dec 8).
  
  
• The national R-naught reached 0.99 - an uptrend over the past week.
  
  
• 28 deaths bring the death toll to 30,746.
  
  

New cases by state:

Selangor (1,465)
Kelantan (503)
Pahang (413)
Johor (407)
Kedah (404)
Sabah (322)
Kuala Lumpur (316)
Penang (291)
Negeri Sembilan (251)
Terengganu (211)
Perak (183)
Malacca (129)
Sarawak (55)
Perlis (33)
Putrajaya (25)
Labuan (12)

What else is happening?

• The government says SOPs for the forthcoming Thaipusam festival are not finalised yet, amid criticism of proposed restrictions, including the barring of chariot processions.
  
  
• Nazir Abdul Razak denied that the Better Malaysia Assembly he is the leader of is elitist, saying it has a citizen-centred approach.
  
  
• Communications and Multimedia Minister Annuar Musa defended the appointment of Wan Izzana Fatimah Zabedah Mohamad Salleh, the daughter of former Wanita Umno chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, as a Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) director.
  
  

HIGHLIGHTS

	Govt names 'Thomas' task force members  They'll probe the former AG's judicial interference claims.
	Hartal Doktor Kontrak postpones second strike This is pending a cabinet decision.
	Govt to make KL carbon-neutral city Goal is to achieve this by 2050.

What are people saying?

	Cut out the middlemen for cheaper goods By R Nadeswaran
	No joy, only a colossal national shame By M Bakri Musa
	Tudung politics: If nation to progress, we must build bridges By Malaysiakini readers