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

Dr M 'gone in 60 seconds'

In the space of a minute, enforcement officers cut out the image of Pakatan Harapan chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad from a giant billboard in Ayer Hitam.

In reply, former minister Rais Yatim asked why the Election Commission (EC) bars pictures of Mahathir at the May 9 election campaign, when it allows posters featuring Communist Party of China president Xi Jinping.

After being reported as saying that he would abolish e-hailing services, Mahathir decried the “fake news” and clarified that Harapan would only conduct a legislative review if it comes into power.

The former premier also claimed that BN had tried to prevent him from being nominated as a candidate for Langkawi by sabotaging a rented jet.

In Mahathir’s home state of Kedah, BN campaigners distributed a comic book called Mayday! Mayday! Madey! Madey! which lampoons him and other Harapan leaders.

EC gets ultimatum on Rantau fiasco

Harapan’s Rantau candidate Dr S Streram has given the EC until 5pm on Wednesday to undo his disqualification as a candidate, failing which he will take the commission to court for misfeasance in public office.

The EC said it will not be issuing any statements on claims that Streram was prevented from entering the nomination centre until the police complete their investigation.

PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli warned that Indian voters in Rantau will be angered by Streram not being allowed to contest and will take it out on BN’s Rembau incumbent Khairy Jamaluddin.

A survey by Rafizi's Invoke shows that in recent months, BN's support among Malays is on the wane, though it still commands more support than Harapan or PAS.

The EC denied that a dress code would be imposed on voters for the 14th general election as alleged in a viral message on social media.

Other Kinibites

The ‘Battle of Ayer Hitam’ took a violent turn after a BN supporter in his 70s was pushed off a stage by an opposition supporter for pulling out PKR flags.

Harapan's Muar candidate Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman brushed off being called a “kitten” by Hishammuddin Hussein, and asked the Umno vice-president to acknowledge that Muar is lagging under BN rule.

The BN candidate Datok Keramat released a video of himself standing next to a swollen river waiting for a flood to occur and admonished incumbent Jagdeep Singh Deo for not being present.

M Kayveas, who was sacked from MyPPP last week, declared that he is “resuming duties” as president to deter alleged attempts to hijack the party.

Danish national Salah Salem Saleh Sulaiman faces jail time after becoming the first person to plead guilty to a charge under the Anti-Fake News Act 2018.

Looking ahead

Harapan will hold a Jelajah Rakyat event in Taman Sri Andalas, Klang.

The opposition coalition's leaders will also conduct a forum in Titiwangsa, Kuala Lumpur.

BN chairperson Najib Abdul Razak will have a walkabout in Gombak.