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

Umno warns of fights if Dr M appears in Pekan

Pekan Umno member Abdul Rahim Yahya said the wide dissatisfaction against Dr Mahathir Mohamad may cause problems and fights to break out, should the former prime minister press on with his scheduled visit to the constituency of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak in Pekan, Pahang, tomorrow.

Pahang Pakatan Harapan chief Fauzi Abdul Rahman condemned the threat, saying Mahathir's visit has permission from the authorities.

Mahathir himself responded to the threat, saying he is only planning to deliver a speech in Pekan, and not bringing weapons there.

Pekan police chief Amran Sidek said 100 policemen will be on standby to face any possibility during Mahathir's visit.

On another matter, Mahathir also took a swipe at Najib's 'quinoa' diet, saying the horses he rides consume 'cheap' carrots, and not the South American-produced grain.

Tycoon slams Nazri for his 'pondan' remark

Country Heights Holdings Bhd founder Lee Kim Yew, in an open letter, called Tourism and Culture Minister Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz 'very rude' for Nazri's 'pondan' jibe against Hong Kong-based Malaysian billionaire Robert Kuok.

Nazri also called MCA secretary-general Ong Ka Chuan 'stupid' for saying that he (Nazri) had neither the right nor authority to make Kuok give up his citizenship if he is supporting efforts to topple the government.

In response, Ong said he may not be smart, but neither is he foolish enough to attack the well-respected Kuok.

Following Kuok's statement yesterday denying funding the opposition, Nazri said he was glad the tycoon had cleared the air, but said he will not apologise for the 'pondan' remark.

In a statement, Najib's aide Tengku Sarifuddin Tengku Ahmad said the prime minister welcomed Kuok's "deep appreciation" of the opportunities afforded to him.

Other Kinibites

The Federal Court in Kuching ruled that four individuals who wished to nullify their status as Muslims cannot do so through the civil court.

Amid PM Najib's remark that he is not a fan of tolls, at least six new toll booths are set to come up in the Klang Valley by the end of this decade.

The MACC nabbed a 37-year-old businessman who allegedly received RM19 million in payment from the main construction company in the Penang undersea tunnel project, after claiming he could influence the commission to stop investigating the project.

Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah confirmed that she is in discussion to run as a candidate in the 14th general election (GE14).

Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim said he is 'hypothetically' willing to contest against Umno's Shahrir Samad and Nazri Abdul Aziz in the GE14, because he claimed the duo were 'blind loyalists' of PM Najib, who need to be defeated.

Looking ahead

Mahathir will arrive in Najib's stronghold of Pekan, Pahang, in the afternoon.

PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail will officiate an event marking 100 days to Anwar's freedom at the party headquarters.