Good morning. Here's what you need to know today.
Key Highlights
Budget, dissolution, or both?
Defence contract scandal
PAS' future
Budget, dissolution, or both?
Today will be a special day.
On schedule, the tabling of Budget 2023 at 4pm, live from Parliament.
However, speculation has been rife on whether or not Parliament will actually be dissolved today.
The Agong, in preparation for the eventuality of polls this year, sought a briefing on the year-end floods.
However, the palace and Prime Minister's Office both indicated yesterday that no date for dissolution was discussed during Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob's audience with the king.
But with Malaysian politics never being short on surprises this past two years - Parliament being dissolved today anyway isn't completely out of the books.
Subscribe to Malaysiakini to follow our live coverage of the budget unveiling, and learn what goodies are coming your way.
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Defence budget scandal
Another military procurement scandal is in the headlines, and this time it’s about getting self-propelled howitzers (SPH) for the army.
A company is allegedly lobbying to get the RM854 million contract via direct tender by pulling strings with Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
This allegedly led to Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz to reject the Defence Ministry's request for the contract to be awarded via limited tender.
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PAS' future
The week is almost over, and as expected PAS has yet to make a decision on whether to side with Umno or Bersatu in the next general election.
Umno believes PAS will return to its side and cut off ties with Bersatu.
However, Bersatu believes PAS will remain its partner in Perikatan Nasional.
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Views that matter
 | By P Gunasegaram |
 | By S Thayaparan |
 | By David Dass |
Other news that matter
The Dewan Rakyat passed amendments that could result in fines of up to RM10 million for offences such as water pollution and illegal disposal of scheduled waste.
Dewan Rakyat speaker Azhar Azizan Harun rejected attempts by 17 MPs to introduce a constitutional amendment allowing citizenship to children born overseas to Malaysian mothers.
Azhar said constitutional amendments needed consent from the Conference of Rulers first.
The cause of death of Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) student S Vinosiny is still unclear, even though it has been almost five months since she passed away.
The family wants an immediate inquest on the matter.
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