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

Najib's China visit

In his speech while debating Budget 2017 yesterday, Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli questioned why Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's stepson Riza Aziz was on the government's official jet to China as part of the PM's entourage.

China's invitation to Najib was also extended to his family, hence their presence, explained Rizal Mansor, an aide to the prime minister's wife Rosmah Mansor.

In any case, Najib said he will sign a defence deal with China during his six-day trip to Beijing, touting it as the "first significant defence deal" between Malaysia and China.

Najib's latest China trip appears to have received the most attention from the international press, whose reports on the visit reflects a common theme that Malaysia and China are now courting each other on the military and economic fronts, while spurning the United States.

SRC funds frozen

Finance Ministry-owned SRC International's invested money is stuck in BSI Bank as the Swiss bank is under investigation linked to 1MDB, said Finance Minister II Johari Abdul Ghani.

This admission comes as reports noted that Swiss private bank EFG International, which had newly acquired BSI Bank, suffered net new money outflows of 17.8 billion Swiss francs (RM75.357 billion) in the first 10 months of 2016 amid sanctions against BSI over alleged money laundering of 1MDB funds.

Former BSI Bank employee, Yeo JiaWei allegedly amassed S$26 million (RM78 million) by the age of 32 by helping clients with creative accounting, according to Singapore's Straits Times, quoting the testimony of the 1MDB-linked banker's former supervisor.

Rise in cooking oil price

The removal of cooking oil subsidies has resulted in some cooking oil producers raising the prices of their products by about 60 percent.

Several BN backbenchers urged stronger control and enforcement over the price of cooking oil, following the price increase announcement, which has caused some panic buying.

The Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry yesterday seized cooking oil from a mini market in Taman Putra Perdana, Puchong, that had been accused of hoarding.

More Kinibites

The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) wants Umno to consider letting go of Utusan Malaysia, citing a lack of support from the Malays and government-linked companies as well as serious financial issues allegedly suffered by the newspaper.

Indigenous group Jaringan Orang Asli SeMalaysia (Joas) is urging the Kelantan state government to resolve the Orang Asli's land issues once and for all, or risk appearing as if they do not care about the indigenous community.

Family members of Penang-born billionaire Low Taek Jho are fighting off attempts by the US to seize jointly held assets in a family trust, allegedly acquired using misappropriated 1MDB funds.

Looking ahead

Rehda Institute is holding a post budget forum on the goods and services tax and real estate at Wisma Rehda today, focusing on first time buyers.

A slew of police reports will be lodged today on alleged foreign meddling through grants to media and civil society organisations.