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

Dr M opens fire on Hadi

Pakatan Harapan chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad called PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang a “traitor” and an “infidel” for allegedly working with Umno to split votes in the coming election.

PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said Mahathir was “barking up the wrong tree” by attacking Hadi instead of the ruling coalition.

Mahathir said he is willing to swear on the Quran that he was not responsible for the sacking of former lord president Salleh Abas, which foreshadowed the 1988 judicial crisis.

Commenting on the proposal for him to be “interim prime minister,” the 92-year-old Mahathir said he was not going to hold the position until the age of 100.

Voters in Permatang Pauh, the stronghold of de facto opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, are split in their opinions on whether Mahathir should become PM again.

Starting next week, the former premier said he will hold weekly policy talk sessions to highlight the alleged failings of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

School boycott over 'broken promise'

Parents and students stood in protest outside the gates of SJK (T) Ladang Jasin Lalang, Malacca, claiming that the federal government did not deliver on its promise to construct a new school building.

The counsel for Khairuddin Abu Hassan told the High Court in Kuala Lumpur that businessperson Low Taek Jho needs to be cross-examined, in the former Umno man’s suit to compel the return of the allegedly 1MDB-linked pink diamond necklace set.

Former senator Ezam Mohd Nor urged Harapan to consider naming PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali as their interim PM candidate, with Bersatu vice-president Mukhriz Mahathir as his running mate.

However, analyst James Chin said that having an interim PM will make Harapan a “laughingstock.”

A source revealed that Azmin, the Selangor menteri besar, may contest in the Shah Alam parliamentary seat in the coming general election.

The Home Ministry’s move to ban a book by former minister Zaid Ibrahim shows that the government is becoming increasingly totalitarian, said DAP lawmaker Tony Pua.

More Kinibites

Cartoonist Zunar filed an application at the Federal Court to challenge a travel ban imposed on him in Oct 2016.

Putrajaya has applied to strike out an application by 17 activists against the awarding of permanent residency to controversial Muslim preacher Zakir Naik.

Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Mohamad Hasan confirmed that he is banned for life from football over an on-pitch violation four decades ago, but said no move will be taken to lift the ban.

Fuel prices went up across the board, with RON95 and RON97 prices going up 3 sen respectively, while diesel went up 6 sen.

MCA and Gerakan were among those who objected at the Election Commission’s local inquiry into the redelineation of the Petaling Jaya Utara constituency.

Flood wreaked havoc in several states, with evacuees in Pahang numbering over 4,800.

Looking ahead

Bersatu members will hold a press conference at the party’s headquarters on its Temerloh division asking the Registrar of Societies to probe the recent AGM.

Harapan will hold its presidential council meeting at the same location later in the day.