Good morning. Here are our picks for today.
Key Highlights
Syed Saddiq Shocker
Battle of boycotts
Hippety-hop across the floor
Syed Saddiq Shocker
Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has been sentenced to seven years in jail, two strokes of the rotan, and slapped with a RM10 million fine.
He was found guilty of four charges involving criminal breach of trust (CBT), misappropriation of property, and money laundering linked to RM1.12 million of Bersatu Youth funds.
For former law minister Zaid Ibrahim, the punishment is excessive.
Following the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s decision, Syed Saddiq stepped down as the president of Muda, a party which he formed after leaving Bersatu.
“When Muda was founded, it was to bring new politics, one that goes beyond parties and political personalities. (One that is) reputable and with integrity.
“In order to be president of Muda…. that leader must be ‘whiter than white’, as our responsibilities are out of the ordinary,” he said after relinquishing his post.
In September, Muda, whose sole MP is Syed Saddiq, withdrew its support for Anwar’s coalition government after Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s corruption case came to a halt.
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Battle of boycotts
As Israel continues its assault on Gaza, over in Malaysia, a different battle related to the conflict is raging.
Malaysians have become embroiled in a heated discourse over boycotts and their impact locally and abroad.
Even among Malays and Muslims - upon whom there are social expectations to be in solidarity with Palestine - the issue is divisive.
For boycott advocates, the goals are simple - stop giving money to companies that are perceived to either be linked or siding with Israel as a means of both hurting Israel economically and showing solidarity with Palestinians.
Some of the companies caught in the crosshairs include McDonald’s, Starbucks, KFC, Coca-Cola, Nestle and even Grab.
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Hippety-hop across the floor
Bersatu lawmakers continue to pledge their support for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, much to the chagrin of party president and Perikatan Nasional chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin.
On Tuesday, Jeli MP Zahari Kechik became the fourth federal lawmaker from Bersatu to hop on the bandwagon.
Muhyiddin, who trampolined on defecions to become prime minister in 2020, claimed there is a concerted effort involving “bribes and threats” to weaken Bersatu and PN.
Despite having raised this allegation numerous times, no reports have been lodged with the police or MACC. PN claims it is still in the process of “gathering information”.
On the other hand, certain quarters in Umno, which was instrumental in the infamous “Sheraton Move”, are not pleased with the defections.
Although its president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi viewed it as a “positive development”, Youth chief Dr Akmal Salleh called for an end to the political drama.
He lamented that despite the passing of the Anti-Hopping Law, the “political frogs” have discovered a new technique of leaping over the fence.
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Views that matter
 | By S Thayaparan |
 | By Song Beng Kah |
 | By Zalina Ismail |
Other news that matter
Charles Santiago is appalled that Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin referred to Adolf Hitler when highlighting the suffering of Palestinians.
He said such remarks serve to only heighten racism.
Singapore human rights lawyer M Ravi has been sentenced to 21 days in jail for contempt of court.
He was also ordered to pay the republic’s Attorney-General’s Chambers cost of S$10,000 (RM34,576).
Bersih is disappointed with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
This is over his failure to ensure equal distribution of Constituency Development Funds to MPs.
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