KINI ROUNDUP | Here are the key headlines you may have missed yesterday, in brief.

1MDB smokescreen

Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua of DAP criticised the government's cleverly-worded parliamentary reply to give the impression that all of 1MDB's debt has been cleared, even though this is not true.

Swiss-based NGO Bruno Manser Fund released a report detailing the Taib family's real estate business empire in Canada.

A man who tried to bribe the Johor sultan for a 'Tan Sri' title has been remanded for five days.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) raided Seputeh MP Teresa Kok's office after Sungai Besar Umno chief Jamal Md Yunos accused her of misappropriating state funds.

DAP MPs inspected the new RM1.4 million road to Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia's official residence and demanded to know if he had requested for it.

Pandikar insisted that the new road had nothing to do with him and that it was the government's prerogative.

Dr M-Nazri showdown is on

Kumpulan Karangkraf, the organiser of a debate between former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Tourism and Culture Minister Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, said the police have agreed to the event but imposed several conditions.

Former PAS vice-president Husam Musa said PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang should resign since the government has abandoned taking over the Islamic party’s effort to table amendments to the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965, or Act 355.

Despite the focus on PAS-Umno relations, analysts said Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's manoeuvring on the Act 355 was successful in breaking up the opposition.

The latest edition of KiniGuide looks at the procedures on how PAS can push ahead with the proposed Act 355 amendments on its own.

Home at last for Pyongyang nine

Nine Malaysians who were held 'hostage' in Pyongyang finally returned home on a military aircraft.

The counsellor at the Malaysian embassy in Pyongyang, Mohd Nor Azrin Md Zain, said he was glad to be back and thanked Asean embassies for aiding them during the month-long standoff between Malaysia and North Korea.

Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said their return showed Najib had fulfilled his pledge to bring them home.

In return, three North Koreans suspects in Kim Jong-nam's murder were sent back to North Korea, together with Jong-nam's body.

Inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar rubbished reports that Malaysian authorities had initially mistaken Jong-nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, as a South Korean.

Other Kinibites

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak met Bollywood superstar Rajinikanth during his visit to India.

Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali said Selangor has yet to make a decision on the 600km East Coast Rail Link, 80km of which will run through the state.

Electoral reform group Bersih urged voters to file protests against the Election Commission's updated redelineation proposal.

Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) president Mohamad Sabu was cleared of defaming the police by the High Court in Penang.

Amanah strategy director Dzulkefly Ahmad said Malaysia will fail to achieve a high-income nation status in 2020 due to the severe weakening of the ringgit.

Looking ahead

Perkasa will be organising a roundtable discussion on the Unified Examination Certificate.

Supporters plan to gather at Kajang Prison for prayers over Siti Noor Aishah Atam's detention under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act, or Sosma.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is attending a Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation function in Subang Jaya.