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

Ex-judge disputes Dr M vs PM

Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Abu Bakar Jais had gotten it all wrong when he decided to strike out the suit filed by former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad and two others against Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, said former Federal Court judge Gopal Sri Ram.

Sri Ram, who had served in the Court of Appeal for 15 years before being elevated to the highest court in 2009, said the action brought by Mahathir is based on the well-established common law tort of misfeasance in public office.

Meanwhile, constitutional law expert Abdul Aziz Bari said the court missed an opportunity to take a broader interpretation of what a public officer is and instead took a pedantic, literal and rigid approach to the law.

Injuries as storm destroys PAS tent

A total 19 were injured, including one who was knocked unconscious when a storm destroyed a tent at the site of the PAS general assembly in Alor Setar, Kedah, yesterday.

Thirteen were rushed to hospital while the rest were treated on site after the storm, which an eyewitness said hit during the maghrib call to prayer.

Separately, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang insisted the party will not have political cooperation with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), which he said does not have clear leadership.

He also warned party delegates to watch what they say at the 63rd annual assembly, and not say things which could hurt the party's chances in the 14th general election.

In a related matter, PKR deputy president Azmin Ali responded to calls from PAS members for the Islamist party to sever ties with PKR, imploring that differences in views is no reason for divorce.

Meanwhile, a stuffed monkey wearing a turban and a PAS scarf reminiscent of a recent controversial cartoon depicting Hadi as a monkey, is hung from a tree on the road leading to the muktamar venue, along with PKR and Amanah flags. Both parties deny responsibility.

Other Kinibites

PKR's Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin urges officials of a chess tournament in Putrajaya to be removed and kept away from girls, after the tournament director and chief arbiter of the National Scholastic Chess Championship 2017 barred a 12-year-old for dressing in a knee-length dress.

Hadi said PAS has its own approach to deal with corruption in the government, including 1MDB, but did not elaborate on what this is.

Umno supreme council member Nazri Abdul Aziz said Umno members who have left to join Bersatu are welcome to return to Umno's fold if they have repented over their "misadventure".

Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia (Hindraf) wrote to the UN security council's counter-terrorism committee (CTC) asking it to advise Malaysia to revoke Indian national Zakir Naik's permanent residence (PR) over concerns of alleged terrorism-linked activities.

Looking ahead

The Pakatan Harapan presidential council will hold a meeting at Bersatu's headquarters in Petaling Jaya.