Good morning.
Wishing our Chinese readers a happy new year! Huat ah!
The Kini Morning Brief will be taking a short break, and will return with our next edition on Feb 3.
In the meantime, here's what you should know today.
Key Highlights
DAP, PKR leadership polls soon
Anti-graft rally gets PM's nod
Minister quashes Ipoh booze 'ban'
DAP, PKR leadership polls soon
Two key Pakatan Harapan parties - DAP and PKR - will be heading to the polls soon to decide their top leadership.
DAP's central leadership election will take place first in March.
Speculation is rife that a DAP grassroots movement is in the works to oust current chairperson Lim Guan Eng from the central committee.
Meanwhile, PKR elections for top posts will be held in May.
PKR president Anwar Ibrahim is expected to retain his post for a third and final term unchallenged.
All eyes will thus fall again on the deputy president election, where a rematch between Rafizi Ramli and Saifuddin Nasution Ismail may take place.
HIGHLIGHTS
 | |
 | |
 |
Anti-graft rally gets PM's nod
The anti-corruption rally organised by youths proceeded smoothly on Saturday, with about 200 participants gathering at Dataran Merdeka and hitting out at both the government and opposition.
The rally concluded with three demands, for the Attorney-General's Chambers to be separated from the Prime Minister’s Office, for the MACC to be independent, and for a political funding law.
The protest went unincumbered after Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim gave his nod of approval on Friday, overturning opposition from Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and police.
Anwar, however, questioned what corruption cases occurred during his term as prime minister thus far.
One notable scandal that has surfaced - and is currently under probe - is the Sabah corruption scandal that is rocking Anwar's key ally in the state, GRS.
HIGHLIGHTS
 | |
 | |
 |
Minister quashes Ipoh booze 'ban'
Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming has quashed plans by the Ipoh City Council to ban alcohol from being sold in areas where residents are overwhelmingly Muslim.
He said that existing rules will be enforced, in which Muslims are prohibited from buying instead.
The matter had been hotly debated over the past week, with the proposed ban's proponent citing Muslim sensitivities as a rationale.
HIGHLIGHTS
 | |
 | |
 |
Views that matter
 | By R Nadeswaran |
 | By Muhammad Kamil Abdul Munim |
 | By Andrew Sia |
 | By Zikri Kamarulzaman |
Other news that matter
 | |
 | |
 | |
 |
