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

Malaysia rejects Switzerland's MLA

Swiss attorney-general Michael Lauber said Malaysia had rejected Switzerland's request for mutual legal assistance (MLA) in its investigation into the embezzlement of 1MDB funds.

Switzerland's Office of the Attorney General (OAG) however said this would not affect its investigation into 1MDB and it would cooperate with other countries on the matter.

Meanwhile, a Singapore court sentenced Penang billionaire Jho Low's former banker Yak Yew Chee to 18 weeks in jail for forgery and failing to flag suspicious banking transactions.

Another former BSI banker Yeo Jiawei, whose trial is ongoing, rebutted several witnesses' claim that he worked for Jho Low.

In a separate development, Bank Negara governor Muhammad Ibrahim said there were no plans to peg the ringgit despite a sharp drop in the currency's value.

Bank Negara has vowed to ensure that the ringgit will not be priced out of sync with the country’s economic fundamentals.

Bersatu-Harapan alliance wavers

Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) president Muhyiddin Yassin reportedly asked for the inking of the party's agreement with Pakatan Harapan for formal cooperation to be put off.

Parti Warisan Sabah led by former Umno vice-president Shafie Apdal said it would not be attending the Pakatan Harapan convention.

The Registrar of Societies (ROS) warned Bersatu that it may be deregistered if it continues to use the name ‘Bersatu’ instead of its registered name - Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.

BN's Sungai Besar MP Budiman Mohd Zohdi was appointed Malaysian Institute of Translation and Books (ITBM) chairperson, replacing Shahruddin Md Salleh who was sacked after joining Bersatu.

Orang Asli-loggers standoff

The Orang Asli community blockading logging activities in Gua Musang hopes there will not be bloodshed over the logger's threat to forcibly dismantle the blockade.

Gua Musang district police chief Rajab Ahad Ismail warned the situation may "explode" if the blockade was forcibly removed and advised the loggers to get a court order instead.

Other Kinibites

Malaysiakini takes a look at the East Coast Rail Link controversy in the latest edition of Kiniguide.

Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Bahru has temporary stopped accepting referrals from surrounding government clinics to perform various tests at its Pathology Department due to shortage of funds.

Inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar has instructed former minister Zaid Ibrahim to be summoned to explain his Twitter post calling the prime minister and attorney-general "crooked".

Seven national trade and industry organisations backed Putrajaya's proposed political financing reform, but stressed that businesses should not be victimised for backing any party.

Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah was hit by another death threat a week before the Bersih 5 rally on Nov 19.

Looking ahead

Pakatan Harapan is to hold its first convention in Shah Alam.

Bersih will continue its roadshow its Serdang this afternoon. The red shirts plan to make an appearance in the same area as well as at Dataran Maybank in Bangsar, the venue of the Bersih 5 rally on Nov 19.