Good morning. Here are our picks for today.
Key Highlights
Pelangai by-election kicks off
DAP MP probed over Quran ‘misinformation’
Media veterans still unhappy with MCMC
Pelangai by-election kicks off
The Pelangai by-election campaign kicked off on Saturday as a three-cornered fight between Perikatan Nasional, BN and a former Bentong Umno Youth member who is contesting as an independent.
The independent, Haslihelmy DM Zulhasli, automatically lost his Umno membership as a result of his candidacy against the party.
Haslihelmy said he was upset with Bentong Umno division for not choosing its deputy chief Mohamad Zaini Salleh, who he believes has a better chance of winning the polls.
Meanwhile, Umno Youth chief Muhamad Akmal Saleh denied there had been protests among its members over the selection of Amizar Abu Adam as the BN candidate for this by-election.
HIGHLIGHTS
 | Press secretary denies minister was part of flash mob demanding ex-PM's freedom. |
 | Zaini calls the accusations slander meant to tarnish his reputation. |
 | The pact is only good in making empty promises, he says. |
DAP MP probed over Quran ‘misinformation’
Bukit Aman is investigating Ipoh Timor MP Howard Lee for allegedly making his own interpretations of verses from the Quran.
This comes after police reports were lodged against the lawmaker over a TikTok video he uploaded.
Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor has also jumped onto this issue in his campaigning for the Pelangai by-election.
He cited this incident as an example of the country’s alleged liberalism under the federal government and urged voters to reject the BN candidate.
HIGHLIGHTS
 | Umno sec-gen comes to Howard Lee's defence. |
 | UPDATED 8.32PM | Howard Lee is not subject to Islamic laws, he says. |
 | Don’t wait until people take to the streets, he says. |
Media veterans still unhappy with MCMC
A group of veteran media professionals said it’s unfair and unacceptable for the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to “put the blame” on MalaysiaNow over the portal’s reports on an incident that broke out in the Dewan Rakyat last Tuesday.
They were referring to the MCMC demanding amendments or the withdrawal of an article published by MalaysiaNow, which has thus far ignored the request.
The commotion in the august House was aired live and viewed by the public, with snippets of the incident already available on social media, they pointed out.
The article in question was on the rowdy exchange between the government and opposition lawmakers, which led to Putrajaya MP Mohd Radzi Md Jidin being removed from the Dewan Rakyat.
The group included media veterans who had previously urged MCMC to stop acting like a ‘Big Brother’ after a number of online news portals were blocked and journalists were questioned.
HIGHLIGHTS
 | 'Who decides what is misleading, inaccurate, or disrespectful?' |
 | We fought for press freedom under reformasi, Yusmadi says. |
 | Conference endorsed guidelines on managing government information. |
Views that matter
 | By R Nadeswaran |
 | By Zan Azlee |
 | By Kasthuri Patto |
Other news that matter
Wee Ka Siong successfully retained his post as MCA president for the second term with a landslide victory.
Nine individuals were charged with encroaching on the Rimba Teloi forest reserve in Sik, Kedah.
Former education minister Mohd Radzi Md Jidin’s ex-political secretary was arrested by the MACC on suspicion of soliciting and receiving kickbacks for an RM80 million ministry project.
The US Custom and Border Protection has lifted the ban on imports from Malaysian glovemaker Supermax Corp after almost two years following the company’s efforts to eradicate elements of forced labour in its practices.
HIGHLIGHTS
 | We have the necessary resources and skilled workforce, Anwar adds. |
 | Deputy minister says she responded to Hassan even though she’s overseas. |
 | Such proposal will only reignite the ‘Penang belongs to Kedah’ idea - Sivanesan. |
