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

Jack Ma builds new bridge with Harapan gov't

Alibaba executive chairperson Jack Ma met with Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Moahamad and revealed that his inspiration for setting up his tech giant came from Mahathir's Multimedia Super Corridor project.

The Council of Eminent Persons was briefed on an alternative to the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail project that could save up to RM50 billion.

Chinese ambassador to Malaysia Bai Tian said Chinese investors' confidence in Malaysia remains strong despite the government's decision to review the Beijing-funded East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project.

Bai also described Mahathir as a "very adorable" leader.

Meanwhile, Japanese ambassador to Malaysia Makio Miyagawa, who met with Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, said Japanese bankers were "fairly positive" about Mahathir's proposal for soft loans denominated in yen.

Putrajaya is mulling to slash the remuneration for the directors of government-linked companies which have been described as exorbitant, The Edge reported.

Cops deny Najib tried to flee the country

Kedah police denied that former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak's trip to Langkawi, near the Thai border, was intended as an attempt to flee the country.

Najib said he is grateful that the new government has decided not to cancel the Digital Free Trade Zone (DFTZ) initiated by the previous BN government.

Sungai Besar Umno division chief Jamal Md Yunos confirmed, through a representative, that he was contesting for the Umno Youth chief post and accused the new government of persecuting him using "the law of the jungle".

Azmin bids farewell

Outgoing Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali clocked out of his office for the last time at the Selangor State Secretariat building.

Azmin said he had met the Selangor sultan to submit the name of his successor.

Sungai Tua assemblyperson Amirudin Shari was spotted at the Selangor palace, strengthening speculation that he will be Azmin's successor.

Bukit Bintang Bersatu Youth chief Mohd Noorhisyam Abd Karim wants police to investigate those accusing him of using political influence to secure Ramadan bazaar lots from DBKL and subsequently selling them for high prices, which he denied.

Federal Territories DAP chief Tan Kok Wai said there is nothing wrong with MPs issuing support letters, if this is done in good faith.

Other Kinibites

The Umno strategic communications unit denied that Najib or former minister Abdul Rahman Dahlan were behind its statements that were made without any name attributed.

The Sabah government said it is mulling to sack its State Assembly secretary for allowing opposition assemblypersons to be sworn in without the state government's knowledge.

MCA's Ti Lian Ker denied that the party's service centres were closed down due to funding issues.

DAP's Liew Chin Tong said Pakatan Harapan should not overlook the possible emergence of new political forces, pointing out that Bersatu, which became a ruling party, was only two years old.

PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said the full cabinet will likely be announced by the end of the week.

Looking ahead

Steve Shaariibuu is expected to meet with attorney-general Tommy Thomas to urge the government to reopen the case into his daughter Altantuya's brutal murder at the hands of the police's Special Action Unit, who were also Najib's bodyguards at the time of the murder.

The Council of Eminent Persons will be briefed by the Institutional Reform Committee and Alibaba's Jack Ma.

The new Selangor menteri besar is expected to be sworn in.