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

Dr M shifts into high gear

Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad charmed the crowd at Pakatan Harapan's first ceramah in Klang Valley since unveiling its official line-up, many of whom once considered him an enemy.

Mahathir even defended Lim Kit Siang, pointing out that the latter snubbed an opportunity to become a cabinet minister when DAP was invited to join BN by then Prime Minister Abdul Razak Hussein, in response to claims that Lim harboured ambitions of becoming prime minister.

Mahathir also described himself as "good friends" with PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, a matter that he said was causing Umno supreme council leader Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz sleepless nights.

However, the audience remained undecided over Mahathir's goal of drumming up a Malay tsunami against BN.

Forex RCI members named

Putrajaya announced the appointment of five members to the Royal Commission of Inquiry on the foreign exchange market (forex) scandal, which has been given three months to complete its investigation.

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali would be summoned to answer allegations of covering up the 1MDB scandal if Harapan forms the next federal government.

In response, Apandi said he did not fear Mahathir and had nothing to hide.

DAP's Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo said Apandi should disclose the money trail of the prime minister's personal bank accounts if he had nothing to hide.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission denied the claim by Sarawak Report that the prime minister instructed it to cease an investigation into a protection racket involving the police.

Pakatan Harapan's anti-kleptocracy rally, initially planned for September, has now been fixed for Oct 14.

Mahathir, who is also Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia chairperson, claimed he was the "top dog" in Harapan.

PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail stressed that decisions in Harapan would be based on consensus.

DAP aide charged with sexual harassment

Prem Anand Loganathan, a former aide to DAP's Paya Terubong assemblyperson Yeoh Soon Him, was charged with sexual assault.

The government, in its application to strike out PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim's suit to set aside his Sodomy II conviction, claimed that contents of the suit were unconstitutional and seditious.

The High Court in Kuala Lumpur will hear tomorrow (Thursday) whether to institute contempt proceedings against Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak over comments in relation to a defamation suit brought by Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir.

Amanah Youth vice-chief Shazni Munir Mohd Ithnin claimed trial to causing a public nuisance by locking up a gate at the Election Commission's (EC) headquarters in a protest.

The Court of Appeal overturned a High Court decision that allowed a group of Malacca residents to challenge the EC's redelineation exercise.

Other Kinibites

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said the government acknowledged Indian Muslims as bumiputera but a mechanism is needed for its implementation.

Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) president Muhyiddin Yassin warned of depletion of the Higher Education Loan Fund (PTPTN) after the government mulled doing away with allowances for trainee teachers and asking them to take a loan from PTPTN instead.

Twenty-eight villagers from Kampung Gatco were arrested after a stand-off with truckers.

Road Transport Department (RTD) deputy director-general Yusoff Ayob was fined RM600 after pleading guilty to driving on an emergency lane.

National sprinter Khairul Hafiz Jantan smashed the 49-year-old 200m national record of 20.92s with a new time of 20.90s.

Looking ahead

The Court of Appeal will hear a constitutional challenge brought by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and businessperson Phang Li Koon over their graft charges.

Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president Muhyiddin Yassin will be holding a press conference in the afternoon.

The DAP central executive committee will decide tonight on how to respond to the Registrar of Societies' directive for it to hold a re-election.