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

Police get into crossfires

Inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar defended the decision to ban the debate between former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Tourism and Culture Minister Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz after receiving flak from both sides.

Mahathir sarcastically suggested that police were frustrating Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's democratic intentions after the government insisted it had no role in the ban.

Shah Alam MP Khalid Abdul Samad, who was to be the moderator, proposed the police set a venue for the debate without any audience, as it would be telecast online.

Police also found themselves in yet another crossfire with Pasir Salak MP Tajuddin Abdul Rahman's son, who accused them of bias for not charging Khalid Samad, who had called Tajuddin "sial" (damned).

Khalid too was unhappy that Tajuddin's children, who had attempted to attack him on Parliament grounds, were only charged under the Minor Offences Act 1955, which carries a fine of up to RM100. He wants the Dewan Rakyat speaker to appeal for stiffer action.

Singapore show 'mocks' Najib

Local artiste groups are up in arms over what they claimed was a Singapore comedy show mocking Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

The Court of Appeal dismissed appeals challenging attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali for not prosecuting the prime minister on the 1MDB scandal.

DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang questioned how many times the prime minister had met with billionaire Jho Low, a central figure in the 1MDB scandal, since the 13th general election.

Hadi wants review of bill ending unilateral conversion

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang wants a review to the proposed amendment to the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976, or Act 164, which would end unilateral child conversion.

Asked about this, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the government would act in national interest on the matter.

Meanwhile, PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said his party has not spoken to BN about re-tabling amendments to the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965, or Act 355.

Other Kinibites

Umno's Tasek Gelugor MP Shahbudin Yahya claimed women would not need to go through an uncertain future if they marry their rapists.

Parti Bebas Rasuah formally submitted its application to join Pakatan Harapan.

A Bil to regulate Uber and Grab, as well as to protect its drivers against harassment, was tabled in Parliament.

The Putrajaya magistrate court granted an additional three-day remand against the man who allegedly tried to bribe the Johor Sultan for help to get a "Tan Sri" title.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi claimed that only two out of 284 custodial deaths in the last 16 years were due to police-inflicted injuries.

Looking ahead

Today is will be the second last day of the current Parliament sitting.

The Federal Court will hear Bersih chief Maria Chin Abdullah's challenge against the government over her previous detention under the Securities Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma).

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will be attending the International Halal Showcase at KLCC.