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

Umno downplays veterans quitting

Gelang Patah Umno permanent chairperson Baharom Abdul Ghani and Kulai Umno deputy chief Tosrin Jarvanti quit Umno in protest of party president Najib Abdul Razak's leadership.

However BN strategic communications director Abdul Rahman Dahlan said their exit has limited impact as other Umno members were purportedly not following in their foot steps.

Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin also reminded Umno members that they cannot be in the party while still being friendly with former party leaders, in apparent reference to those who have formed splinter Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu).

The prime minister's press secretary Tengku Sariffuddin Tengku Ahmad also attacked Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin as a "lame duck president".

BN partners upset at Umno

While Umno trained its guns against Bersatu, its BN partners expressed their grouses against Umno.

Penang Gerakan chief Teng Chang Khim blamed Umno's support for right-wing Malay groups for BN's defeat in Penang.

Meanwhile, MCA central committee member Ti Lian Ker said Umno must shed its "jaguh kampung" (village hero) politics in order to regain urban support.

Noh Omar's lending plan under fire

After taking flak, Urban Well-being, Housing and Local Government Minister Noh Omar explained his proposal to let developers finance loans for home buyers as the latter couldn't get loans from banks.

Kluang MP Liew Chin Tong urged the Money Lending Act 1951, which Noh used as a basis for his plan, to be abolished.

Meanwhile, CIMB Bank chairperson Nazir Abdul Razak described Noh's plan as a "dangerous idea" and praised Finance Minister II Johari Abdul Ghani for pointing out that it is unsustainable".

Other Kinibites:

US deputy assistant secretary Walter Douglas said the US hopes to maintain good ties with Malaysia despite the Department of Justice's case linked to 1MDB.

Khazanah has been urged to reveal more details than the rough cost breakdown on the Taman Tugu project to convince the public of its viability.

The Sarawak government wants to see more private English stream schools.

Looking ahead

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will be officiating Hindraf splinter party Makkal Sakti's annual general meeting today.