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

Harapan's Putrajaya blitz

Thousands showed up at Pakatan Harapan's rally in Putrajaya as Bersatu chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Amanah's Nik Omar Nik Abdul Aziz sought to convince civil servants to vote against the government.

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said Harapan recruiting Nik Omar to its side was a sign of desperation.

Hadi also downplayed complaints by Berjasa that PAS had shortchanged the party.

In Kelantan, PAS deployed Nik Omar's own mother Tuan Sabariah Tuan Ishak to campaign against him in the state seat of Chempaka.

A man alleging to be a former Amanah member claimed he possessed a sex video involving the party's leader, but did not offer proof.

Gruelling battles in the Malay heartland

With campaigning for the 14th general election crossing the halfway back, Malaysiakini compiled its observations in the Malay heartland.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng claimed there are encouraging signs of increasing Malay support for Harapan.

Umno information chief Annuar Musa scoffed at Harapan's claim of a "Malay Tsunami", claiming that some of the opposition coalition's leaders had even fled their own Malay-majority constituencies.

Mahathir, in an open letter to Umno members, claimed Umno was no longer its original self, and urged Umno members to come to Harapan's side.

While Mahathir has proven popular in Peninsular Malaysia, he is seen as an obstacle in Sabah where he had been accused of population engineering.

Mokhzani joins the campaign

Mahathir's son Mokhzani made his campaign debut for Harapan in Kedah.

Former minister Daim Zainuddin, who is also campaigning for Harapan predicted BN will lose Kedah and Perak.

He also believes that PAS will lose Kelantan.

In Langkawi, the campaign to demonise Mahathir intensified with pamphlets accusing him of being anti-royalty.

Wanita Umno chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said she was puzzled at Umno leaders joining Harapan, asking if the government had been so bad that people are starving.

Global Bersih expressed exasperation at the late arrival of ballot papers for overseas voters.

Other Kini bites

Selangor police rubbished claims that Bangladeshis were being flown in to vote in the 14th general election.

The latest edition of Calonkini features former judge Sabirin Jaafar who, is contesting as a Bersatu candidate in Masjid Tanah.

Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah said he believed caretaker prime minister Najib Abdul Razak can navigate the country to greater heights.

Tan Sang Gnaw, who was dropped by DAP as a candidate, said he did not believe the country was going bankrupt and that the economy was in proper shape.

Party Socialism Malaysia's (PSM) Arutchelvan unveiled his 15-point manifesto for Semenyih, where he is contesting again.

Looking ahead

PKR vice president Tian Chua's challenge against his disqualification as the candidate for Batu will be decided today.

Institute Darul Ehsan is set to release its survey for the 14th general election.