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

Cash galore for Umno branch chiefs

A total 115 Sungai Besar Umno branch chiefs received RM1,000 each from division chief Jamal Md Yunos, who also promised another RM300 each for those who stood and applauded to show support for him and for Umno and Umno vice-president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who officiated the division meeting.

Meanwhile, Federal Territories Umno Youth chief Mohd Razlan Rafii listed out "evidence" of DAP's disrespect for the Malays, which includes DAP MPs attending Oktoberfest.

Merdeka, but not for all

DAP's Bandar Kuching MP urged Sarawak to stop celebrating Aug 31, saying it has no historical significance to the state, which gained independence from the British on July 22, 1963 and commemorates it annually on that date.

Political scientist James Chin said the dispute over whether Malaysia has been independent for 59 or 53 years reflects the wider issue of Sabah and Sarawak rights and the call for autonomy.

Such debate and celebration of historical figures not widely celebrated in mainstream discussions show youths are reclaiming Malaysian history from propagandists, said Muslim Youth Movement Malaysia (Abim) secretary-general Muhammad Faisal Abdul Aziz.

Meanwhile, Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin said defending national leaders is part of defending Malaysia's independence.

Separately, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Malaysia in their Merdeka message urged the government to resolve the 1MDB matter in the interest of the nation.

Other Kinibites

A pregnant woman in Singapore was diagnosed as infected with Zika virus, with the tally of those infected in the island republic going up to 115 people.

Kelantan's move to introduce a syariah-compliant bodybuilding competition, which requires participants to cover their aurat, is lauded as "ground-breaking" by Islamic jurisprudence lecturer Maszlee Malik.

International exhibition the United Buddy Bears, which aims to promote peace and harmony, had to be cancelled in Penang after one bear statue was found to have a quotation from the Prophet Muhammad written on its hips.

Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng questions figures cited by Khazanah Research Institute (KRI) when it said average household income climbed from RM5,000 per month to RM6,141, given that three to four of every 10 adults earn less than RM2,000 a month.

Police arrest three suspected Islamic State (IS)-linked individuals last Saturday for planning an armed attack on the national Merdeka celebration.

Looking ahead

DAP's Rasah MP Teo Kok Seong and the organising committee of the Tangkap MO1 rally will give statements to police at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters today.

The Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur will decide if PKR's Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli must enter his defence on the charge of contravening the Official Secrets Act when he revealed a 1MDB-linked document.

The Court of Appeal will decide on the appeal by the family of three youths who were shot dead by police in Glenmarie, Shah Alam, in 2011.

Health Minister Dr S Subramaniam will hold a press conference today on the Zika virus which has infected more than 100 people, including a pregnant woman, in neighbouring Singapore.