Key headlines from yesterday that you may have missed, in brief.

Zaid Ibrahim won't join new party

Former minister Zaid Ibrahim said he will not join the newly-registered Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), which is to be headed by former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, as it looks too much like Umno.

Analysts are divided over what impact the bumiputera-based political party would have in the next election, though some agree that if the new party could trigger an exodus from Umno, it could boost Malay support for the movement to ‘Save Malaysia’ and remove Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak

Muhyiddin said despite the party being bumiputera-based, other races can also join the new political party he is slated to spearhead as associate members, with same rights as bumiputera members, except that they cannot vote or contest for party office, though they can be appointed to posts.

Director resigns over FFM

Film Directors' Association of Malaysia assistant secretary general Hafiz Ibrahim resigned to protest the segregation of films according to language in the 28th Festival Filem Malaysia, while cinematographer Mohd Nor Kassim returned his FFM trophies in a thrash bag to protest the same.

Malaysia Film Producers Association (PFM) president Yusof Haslam said he would no longer involve himself in future FFMs after, being grilled at a public dialogue on Monday night.

However, Persatuan Karyawan Malaysia threw its full support behind the segregation of films according to language in FFM 2016, calling the move relevant, since more high quality non-Bahasa Malaysia films are being produced.

Opposition PAC boycott

Four Public Accounts Committee (PAC) members from the opposition were absent from yesterday's PAC meeting, in an apparent protest against chairperson Hasan Arifin's decision not to re-open investigations into 1MDB.

Rallies demanding that the government reveals who is ‘Malaysian Official 1’ will take place in Kota Kinabalu and Johor Bahru as well, in addition to Kuala Lumpur, at the end of this month, with the organisers aiming to gather some 20,000 people overall.

DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang has challenged the cabinet to debunk the claim of the United States Department of Justice that a Malaysian official was involved in extensive money laundering - or go down in history as a "cabinet of kleptocrats".

More Kini bites

At least five residents and activists were arrested yesterday morning while protesting the construction of high voltage pylons in the residential areas of Taman Cheras Hartamas.

Dr Mahathir Mohamad has been hospitalised for a chest infection, according to news reports. He is currently undergoing treatment at the National Heart Institute (IJN) in Kuala Lumpur.

Swiss national Andre Xavier Justo, who was sentenced to three years imprisonment for attempted blackmail of his former employer, PetroSaudi International, has received a royal pardon, on the occasion of Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 70 years on the throne and Queen Sirikit’s birthday.

Looking ahead

Perak Sultan Raja Nazrin Shah will launch former deputy prime minister Musa Hitam's new book this morning.

Family members and supporters of jailed former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim will celebrate his 69th birthday in front of the Sungai Buloh Prison tonight.