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

Rafizi to sue Raja Petra

PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli said he will commence legal action against blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin for defaming him in an article claiming he and PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution received RM20 million from businessman Soh Chee Wen.

On a related matter, Rafizi reminded PAS vice-president Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah that making a false statutory declaration is a crime with a severe penalty, after Mohd Amar rubbished Rafizi's SD claiming a PAS member received funds linked to former 1MDB subsidiary SRC International.

Meanwhile, Amanah's Salor assemblyperson Husam Musa said he will meet Rafizi to compare notes on what they know about the 1MDB-linked funds to PAS, to see if Rafizi's claim matches his claim that PAS received RM90 million from suspicious sources.

Hisham now handles Esscom

Defence Minister Hishamuddin Hussein said his new role as special functions minister includes helping Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak monitor Sabah's security and the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom), through close cooperation with Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman.

Amanah deputy president Salahuddin Ayub theorised that Najib will resign before the 14th general election, as appointing his cousin Hishammuddin as special functions minister is a way to secure his family's position after he leaves.

Separately, Hishammuddin said he is ready to face a corruption probe if anyone lodges a report against him with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

Other Kinibites

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang invited Muslims to forgive Chinese-language daily Nanyang Siang Pau for publishing a cartoon depicting him as a monkey, saying that those from a different background are ignorant of Muslim sensitivities.

Husam Musa questioned why non-Muslim traders in Kelantan need to halt operations during maghrib (dusk) prayer time, which the state said is a regulation to allow consumers and business owners to pray.

MACC chief commissioner Dzulkifli Ahmad said graft prevails in Malaysia because enforcement agencies do not fulfil their obligations.

Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir submitted a notice to police on the April 27 debate he will hold against his former special assistant-turned-rival Haris Che Mat, on Mukhriz's wealth and that of Najib's stepson Riza Aziz.

The Election Commission was condemned for allowing public hearings of objections, without those who objected being present.

Looking ahead

The case of Siti Noor Aishah Atam, the former post-graduate student held under the Security Offences and Special Measures Act (Sosma), will be heard today.