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

Najib praises Hadi's 'better way'

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak praised PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang's "better way" compared to the approach of other opposition parties and leaders.

Hadi claimed his statement about a Muslim-only government was "spun" by the media.

Najib said the setting up of a royal commission of inquiry to investigate the forex losses during Dr Mahathir Mohamad's tenure as prime minister was made in response to calls from politicians, such as DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang.

A parliamentary written reply revealed the government is presently detaining 2,787 people without trial.

500 stage New Year's Day protest

Some 500 people marched from Sogo Shopping Complex to Dataran Merdeka in a New Year's protest calling for the reduction of fuel prices, as well as for the resignation of the prime minister.

Prior to the rally, organisers claimed they faced sabotage as their mobile phones were allegedly hacked.

MCA religious bureau chief TI Lian Ker questioned how Mahathir can pledge his commitment towards freedom of speech when it was he who had suppressed such liberties when he was prime minister.

PAS veteran quits

PAS' Pokok Sena MP Mahfuz Omar quit his party after 34 years.

MCA formally named its youth chief Chong Sin Woon as the 14th general election candidate for the parliamentary seat of Seremban.

Putrajaya MP Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said he had no problems if former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad challenged him in the next general election.

More Kini bites

Malaysiakini in its special report series highlighted the large acquisitions faced by traditional Malay village Kampung Dato Abu Bakar Baginda, by the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail project.

Celebrity Azwan Ali in an interview revealed his reasons for wanting to dislodge his brother Mohamed Azmin Ali as Selangor menteri besar.

Lepar state assemblyperson Mohd Shohaimi Jusoh passed away at age 55.

Former Felda chairperson Mohd Isa Samad said he was keeping silent on the dubious transaction involving Felda's Jalan Semarak prime land to avoid conflict.

Retailers bid their final farewell as the Ampang Park Shopping Centre was formally closed down to make way for the MRT Sungai Buloh, Serdang, Putrajaya (SSP) line.