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

Ministry scrapped projects in non-BN seats

The Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Ministry cancelled the approval of federal-funded local council projects in non-BN constituencies.

Penang exco member Chow Kon Yeow said the state was not affected as there were no such projects but slammed the move as discrminatory.

Several local councillors appointed by Pakatan Harapan also condemned the move, pointing out that they had never discriminated BN constituencies.

Johor exco can't raise bail as accounts frozen

Johor state executive councillor Abd Latif Bandi, who faces 33 charges for graft, failed to post bail of RM2 million as his bank accounts were frozen.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (operations) deputy commissioner Azam Baki said several more individuals are expected to be charged in relation to corruption and embezzlement relating to real estate in Johor.

The retail price for RON95 increased by three sen to RM2.27 per litre and two sen for RON97 to RM2.54, the third consecutive hike since the weekly fuel price system was introduced.

The country's March inflation was at 5.1 percent, the highest in eight years.

Najib riles against fake news

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak riled against fake news at a gathering of international newspaper publishers in Kuala Lumpur.

Najib also questioned those claiming crackdowns on freedom of speech in Malaysia, insisting that his government has given space for criticism.

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad criticised Najib for calling Malaysians to hold high moral values, stating that the prime minister wasn't leading by example with his scandals.

Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) founding member Kamarul Azman Habibur Rahman quit the party, citing disappointment at its direction.

He also denied that he was quitting due to government threats against his family.

Other Kinibites

The general election candidacy of DAP leaders Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud and Zairil Khir Johari, who is married, are in question following a series of leaked photograph purported showing the duo being romantically involved in public.

Human rights activists criticised PKR president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail for her support of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan who had cracked down on activists and the media.

Damansara Utama assemblyperson Yeo Bee Yin questioned why the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) had omitted part of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) line passing through Selangor in its public display.

Ancient human bones, believed to date back some 5,000 years, were discovered in Guar Kepah, Penang.

Malaysia Airlines became the first airline to sign a deal for space-based tracking of its aircraft, three years after losing flight MH370 over the Indian Ocean.

Looking ahead

PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli's trial over his released of classified banking information linked to the National Feedlot Corporation scandal continues at the Shah Alam High Court.

Parti Amanah Negara deputy president Salahuddin Ayub will address the Johor land corruption scandal which saw a state exco member being charged.