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

Agong told Najib of meet with Dr M

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak revealed that he is fully aware of what took place during Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia adviser Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong last week, after being briefed on it by the monarch.

Further south, Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar once again stressed the importance of a uniform education system at a meeting with leaders of Chinese associations in the state capital.

And without mentioning names, Sultan Ibrahim also launched a broadside on “old people who appear to have lost their mind”, obviously aimed at one particular nonagenarian - Mahathir - who had questioned the veracity of the Bangsa Johor concept in the context of Malaysian unity.

Stupid everywhere

Stupid and crass people exist in every society, law professor Azmi Sharom pointed out, but this does not mean that they should be subjected to laws for everything they say, he told a forum on the Sedition Act organised by the Gerakan Hapus Akta Hasutan on Tuesday night.

Gerakan Merah leader Mohd Ali Baharom, better known as Ali Tinju, has cried “misquoted” as he denied issuing threats against Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah. He is currently under police investigation for criminal intimidation after he was quoted as saying Maria “may no longer walk on this earth”.

Gerakan Youth chief Tan Keng Liang has urged Ali Tinju to own up and apologise and not become a coward and cry ‘misquoted’. “It is embarrassing. It is better to retract the threat and apologise. Be a man and own up,” Tan posted on Twitter.

Meanwhile pro-BN NGO Perubuhan Minda dan Sosial Prihatin president Ramesh Rao cited a Jewish link in what he alleged to be a plot to embarrass the prime minister’s spouse, Rosmah Mansor, on an international level with regard to her being struck off the list of recipients for an award.

Face of intimidation

The police force should be the face of human rights and not the face of intimidation, Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) chairperson Razali Ismail said, addressing the International Malaysian Law Conference in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

This was after former journalist Sidek Kamiso revealed the police tried to provoke him by asking about his religious beliefs and political leanings after four policemen jumped the gate of his house compound before arresting him in the wee hours of Monday morning.

Controversial consultant Ema Rena Abu Samah, better known by her online moniker ‘Ratu Naga’, also received a visit from five police personnel at midnight on Tuesday, who picked her up for questioning while still in confinement, barely a month after giving birth to her princess.

Meanwhile inspector-general of police (IGP) Khalid Abu Bakar said claims that Malaysia is heading towards becoming a police state are baseless as the police are subject to laws and regulations, as well as the Federal Constitution, that keep them in check.

More Kinibites

Local authorities in Tawau will increase the frequency of random checks at landing points that have been purportedly been used by vessels transporting illegal immigrants from Indonesia to Sabah, after the release of a video recorded on the matter by two undercover Indonesian journalists, which went viral.

The Malaysian Bar is the first recipient of the advancement of the rule of law within the legal community award, conferred by the Union Internationale des Avocats, one of the oldest and foremost of international law organisations, Malaysian Bar president Steven Thiru announced yesterday.

Hundreds of Petronas employees may have to look for new jobs soon, as the national oil and gas firm is reported to be downsizing.The Wall Street Journal cited sources as saying that the company “is looking to cut several hundred more jobs as it continues to grapple with weak oil prices”.

Looking ahead

The Malaysian Paralympics contingent will be feted upon arrival at Kompleks Bunga Raya, KL International Airport, about 3pm today, where they would be welcomed with a water salute and later join a celebratory parade at 5pm in an open-top bus from Jalan Tun Razak to KLCC on Jalan Ampang.