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

Myth or fact over PM's unpopularity

Communications and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak said TIME magazine previously declared Anwar Ibrahim as being more popular than Dr Mahathir Mohamad, but it was Mahathir who triumphed in the 1999 general election.

Salleh was responding to the report by the magazine naming Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak as among the five leaders who are less popular than an already unpopular US President Donald Trump.

Najib did not take the label to heart, boasting that he was a "gentleman" and "anak jantan" (man) during his annual speech on the state of the country's economy.

During the speech, the prime minister also had film director David Teo and comedian Sulaiman Yassin, who previously had been involved in an altercation in front of Najib, to sit side-by-side.

Najib also mocked the opposition's promise to do away with the Goods and Services Tax (GST), questioning where they would find the RM42 billion in revenue shortfall if the plan materialises.

Harapan's missing PM candidate

Amid the differing opinions among opposition parties, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) Youth chief Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman proposed an independent survey to determine who should be Pakatan Harapan's prime minister candidate.

Meanwhile, a Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) grassroots member floated the idea of Amanah president Mohamad Sabu as interim prime minister on the grounds that his party was the only one that did not covet the position.

Two Bersatu leaders in Perak resigned, complaining of infighting as Bersatu chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad worked to quell the party's unrest in the state.

Mahathir hinted that his associates were also being targeted by the Inland Revenue Board.

Perak police denied inciting Umno leaders to lodge reports against the debate Tourism and Culture Minister Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz wanted to hold with Mahathir.

Closure in Selangor?

PKR said it supported Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali's move to "maintain stability" in the Selangor government but refused to say outright if PAS, which severed ties with PKR, can remain in the government.

PKR's Kelana Jaya MP Wong Chen was upset with the manner in which the Selangor government conducted an audit of his office.

PAS information chief Nasrudin Hassan told jailed PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim to get his facts right after Anwar's speech, which was read out at the 12th PKR congress, criticised PAS for its lack of committment in people-centric issues.

Other Kinibites

Reuters reported that China's Geely was selected to acquire a stake in Proton over France's PSA Group.

The family of pastor Raymond Koh lamented that they are still in the dark, 100 days after his abduction.

Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Hamzah Zainuddin insists that there will not be any more hike in sugar prices after producers lobbied for another increase.

PSM's Sungai Siput MP Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj threatened to sue DAP assemblyperson A Sivanesan for allegedly casting aspersions on the former's asset declaration.

Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) president Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim criticised Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin for not attending the final of the Malaysia FA Cup.

Looking ahead

DRB Hicom is expected to formally announce its new partner that will acquire a stake in Proton and details of the arrangement.

Three activists will give their statements to the police after they were summoned for claiming that a recent series of kidnappings involved state actors.

PKR-linked think-tank Invoke will release a survey on Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) leaders Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Muhyiddin Yassin will hold a ceramah in Kuala Lumpur.