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

Najib insists seized items were gifts

In an exclusive interview with Malaysiakini, former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak maintained that items seized from six properties linked to him were gifts, and dismissed the police's estimation of the value of the loot as “subjective.”

The Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department had earlier revealed that the items – including jewellery, handbags, watches and sunglasses – could be worth up to RM1.1 billion on the market.

CCID director Amar Singh pointed out that ‘Umno’ was not printed on the seized cash in response to claims that the money belonged to the party.

De facto PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim said that the 'shameful and appalling' seizure is why politicians should be made to declare their assets and subjected to constant scrutiny.

Umno presidential hopeful Khairy Jamaluddin also said that Najib has to answer for the staggering haul, but cautioned all quarters against issuing statements that would pre-empt the investigation.

Ku Li wants Umno to apologise

Khairy’s rival for the Umno presidency, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, said the party must seek forgiveness for all its past mistakes if it is to rise again.

Speaking at a party function in Penang, the veteran politician also urged Umno leaders not to “kill each other” over party posts.

The octogenarian also credited his return to the Umno presidential race to former rival, 92-year-old Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Annuar Musa, who is vying to be Umno deputy president, pledged to be the president's right-hand man if given the mandate in the party election this Saturday.

However, the former ruling party lost yet another parliamentary seat after Bukit Gantang MP Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal quit the party to become an independent.

Other Kinibites

East Coast Rail Line (ECRL) contractor T7 Global Bhd says it is unaffected by tycoon Vincent Tan wanting to divest his entire stake in the company.

The MACC detained a 'datuk' CEO of a GLC in its probe into alleged corruption in a RM300 million development project in Putrajaya.

The infant believed to have been thrown from the second floor of a building at Pusat Hentian Kajang on Monday night is in critical condition.

Malaysiakini is the most popular media portal in Malaysia, according to the 2018 Reuters Digital News Report.

The Penang government has invited Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma to visit Penang and examine its e-commerce ecosystem.

Looking ahead

TRX City Sdn Bhd will have a media briefing session and site tour at the TRX Gallery in Kuala Lumpur.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad will attend an American Malaysian Chamber Of Commerce AGM luncheon, also in Kuala Lumpur.