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

'Kok row' escalates

Lawmakers must stop flinging insults before their disagreements turn physical, warned Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia, angrily reprimanding the MPs over yesterday's row, which began after deputy Umno minister Tajuddin Abdul Rahman said Teresa Kok (Seputeh MP) was a woman with a 'Kok'.

Tajuddin, on his part, lashed out at the media yesterday when pressed on his row with Kok, insisting he had only meant that the Seputeh MP was the only woman with the surname Kok. He said those unhappy with deputy speaker Ronald Kiandee's ruling, which sided with him, can "go back and cry".

Pandikar and all lawmakers should go for gender sensitivity training, said Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh, arguing that men, especially those from the BN, need to be more sensitive and refrain from making sexual innuendos.

Dr M disses 'stinky' Jamal

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said red-shirt leader Jamal Md Yunos should shower 15 times a day because he is "dirty". "Bersih is clean enough.The dirty one is Jamal. He should shower 15 times a day. (You can) smell the stink from afar," said Mahathir.

Jamal, who is Sungai Besar Umno division chief, said that during his four-day remand, he did not shower. Four days spent in detention have also given him the “inspiration” to launch a new campaign, which he called "Bersih 7", to “save Selangor”.

Jamal also accused Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Mansor of being "senile" for barring Umno members from joining the red-shirts. “I want to say that there was not one Umno member who was involved in the rally. Those involved were from NGOs,” claimed Jamal.

Budget 2017 is passed

Budget 2017 was passed by the Dewan Rakyat after a bloc vote ended with 105 votes in favour and 73 votes against. Only two PAS members were present during the vote, which took place about 11pm, while most opposition lawmakers from other parties were present.

In a letter sighted by Malaysiakini, Deputy Prime Minister Zahid hosted Muslim MPs to a briefing on PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) (Amendment) 2016 Bill, at 5pm yesterday, at the Parliament building's briefing hall.

Speaking after the meeting, Zahid said Putrajaya would allow the motion to table the bill seeking to raise the limit of penalties meted out by the syariah court to be debated today or Thursday, which is the last day for the current parliamentary sitting.

More Kinibites

PAS MPs say they are ready to face party action for attending Bersih 5 rally on Saturday. This was after Hadi mooted action against its members who attended the rally, which attracted at least 40,000 people in Kuala Lumpur.

Four Universiti Malaya (UM) students will face disciplinary hearings for taking part in the TangkapMO1 rally in August, which demanded the arrest of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak for his role in the 1MDB controversy.

Lawyers representing Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah filed a habeas corpus application yesterday to challenge her detention under the Special Offences (Security Measures) Act 2012, seeking her immediate release. The case is set for case management tomorrow.

Ipoh Barat MP M Kulasegaran wants the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) (Amendment) Bill 2016 tabled on Monday to amend laws relating to the unilateral religious conversion of minors to be fast-tracked for debate in the current sitting of the Dewan Rakyat.

Looking ahead

Jamal will launch his Bersih 7 "Save Selangor" tour at the entrance to the state secretariat building in Shah Alam today.