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Kini Roundup: Rafizi nabbed, Panama Papers probes begin, LGE spars with Rahman
Published:  Apr 6, 2016 6:39 AM
Updated: Apr 6, 2016 12:04 AM

Here’s a recap of major headlines yesterday you may have missed.

Rafizi arrested over OSA expose

PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli has been detained by police as he exited the Parliament building gates yesterday evening. Inspector-general of police chief Khalid Abu Bakar confirmed the Pandan MP was arrested under Section 8 of the Official Secrets Act, which relates to wrongful communication of an official secret over his exposé of a document allegedly linking 1MDB and Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT).

Khalid told Malaysiakini that Rafizi courted arrest by exposing a document classified under the Official Secrets Act, adding that the lawmaker should have been aware of the repercussions and consequences of his action.

Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia will decide tomorrow if Rafizi's arrest just outside Parliament gates puts the IGP in contempt of the House after PKR whip Johari Abdul requested a ruling from the speaker citing the top cop's undertaking to remove all bar from MPs to and from proceedings.

Gov'ts begins Panama Papers probe

Governments across the world began investigating possible financial wrongdoing by the rich and powerful after a leak of four decades of documents from a Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca that specialised in setting up offshore companies exposed the onshore companies of the political and business elite.

It is not a crime to have an offshore company as many people do so for business reasons, said Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, noting that even top footballer Lionel Messi was named in the documents leaked to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists dubbed the Panama Papers.

There is no need for the government to act on Malaysians named in the Panama Papers as having set up offshore companies unless there is evidence of wrongdoing done using the offshore entities, said Tourism and Culture and Tourism Minister Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz.

Umno veteran Tengku the Razaleigh Hamzah, however, urged the government to examine Malaysians named in the Panama Papers to find out why they parked their money abroad, to ensure good governance and transparency.

LGE spars with Rahman Dahlan over Manggis-Gate

BN strategic communications director Abdul Rahman Dahlan has disclosed documents refuting Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's statement that Taman Manggis land had not been sold to a third party.

Lim denied Rahman's allegations that the Taman Manggis land in Penang had been sold to a third party, rubbishing allegations that the shares of the company that owns the land, Kuala Lumpur International Dental Centre Sdn Bhd (KLIDC), had been sold to a third party.

More Kini Bites

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has completed its draft report on 1MDB. PAC member and Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua said the report is being printed and will be tabled in Parliament on Thursday, though no mention was made at the meeting as to when the auditor-general's report on 1MDB would be tabled at the Dewan Rakyat.

Opposition lawmaker Lim Lip Eng urged fashion house Jakel Trading to furnish receipts to prove that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak purchased clothing and other items for charitable purposes and not for his wife Rosmah Mansor.

BN lawmaker Jumat Idris urged the government to declare the Sabah East Coast waters a security zone and shoot any boat and ship that enter Sabah waters, following last Friday's abduction in Ligitan waters by a group of armed gunmen.

Sepang MP Hanipa Maidin is now under intensive care after successfully undergoing surgery to treat a brain haemorrhage last night, and is being warded in the Kuala Lumpur Hospital's neurological intensive care unit. He was rushed to hospital yesterday evening after fellow lawmakers noticed he was not moving from his seat in Parliament.

A gas explosion at a restaurant in Mid Valley Megamall yesterday morning has left eight injured, according to the Fire and Rescue Department. Findings pointed to a possible gas leak.

Looking forward

Pandikar to decide if Rafizi's arrest just outside Parliament gates puts the IGP in contempt of the House after a ruling from the speaker was requested citing the top cop's undertaking at the start of sitting to remove all bar from MPs to and from proceedings.

The parliamentary reform motion to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat.

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