Here are the key headlines from yesterday that you may have missed, in brief.

Najib teases ex-DPM

In his tell-all book ‘Frankly Speaking’, ex-DPM Musa Hitam revealed how Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak somewhat teased him, telling the veteran politician who had urged the PM to step aside to facilitate investigations into 1MDB that "I am still not on leave" in a telephone conversation a week later.

At a press conference after the launch of his book, Musa said that Malaysia was going downhill and might end up like the Philippines was once before, noting that with the government enmeshed in mega scandals, other matters, such as the unprecedented shootings in broad daylight, are not dealt with.

He also predicted that BN will hold the next general election "very soon", before former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's new party Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) gets a foothold.

Justo may turn DOJ witness

Speculations abound that PetroSaudi whistleblower and retired Swiss banker Andre Xavier Justo’s Thai royal pardon may mean that he is tipped to be the star witness in the 1MDB probes which are being carried out in at least six countries.

According to UK business paper Financial Times, US Department of Justice (DOJ) will face daunting legal challenges in its 1MDB-linked court case, citing difficulties to convince witnesses to testify against powerful officials, less than enthusiastic US judges and getting documents from other jurisdictions.

Malay rights NGO Perkasa is puzzled by Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairperson Hasan Arifin's refusal to reopen the investigation into 1MDB after revelations in DOJ asset forfeiture suit filings, pointing to possible embezzlement in the troubled state-owned sovereign fund.

Former Batu Kawan Umno division vice-chief Khairuddin Abu Hassan has introduced the DOJ civil lawsuit documents in support of his judicial review application against attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali.

Salleh warns of ‘mind control’

While armed invasion by colonialist invaders may be out of fashion, countries like Malaysia is in danger of being colonised through “mind control”, warned Communications and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak.

Kuala Terengganu MP Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad however contended that tales of foreign powers seeking to destroy Malaysia aside, our ruin will come from within in the hands of those whom the public entrusted to serve.

Meanwhile, reaching out from his National Heart Institute (IJN) sick bed, ex-premier Mahathir has challenged his former protege Najib to a televised debate on governance in Malaysia, following the latter’s remarks accusing him of trying to boss the PM around.

More Kini bites

The Selangor Indigenous Arts Festival, held at the Shah Alam National Botanical Garden in conjunction with the International Day of World’s Indigenous Peoples 2016, ended on Tuesday on a high note.

Divers Pandelela Rinong and Cheong Jun Hoong will share the RM300,000 cash incentive and a monthly pension of RM3,000 following their silver medal feat at the Rio Olympic Games.

A single mother subsisting on welfare, who is suffering from chronic diabetes and has a 10-year-old daughter with hypoglycaemia, wept when the Seremban Magistrate's Court freed her on a good behaviour bond for two years over a theft charge which she said was motivated by her child's hunger.

Looking ahead

Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah will launch the Malay and Chinese culture fair at the Museum of Asian Art, University Malaya this morning.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court is to hear the applications by the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council and the Selangor Islamic Religious Council to intervene in the case of Jill Ireland versus the Home Ministry over her right to use the word ‘Allah’ as a Christian Sarawakian.