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

Education Ministry ditches Utusan

Utusan Group executive chairperson Abd Aziz Sheik Fadzir said that the company will meet with the Education Ministry over its move to end its subscription to Utusan Malaysia.

Abd Aziz was commenting on a memo from Wan Saiful Wan Jan, special adviser to Education Minister Maszlee Malik, which instructed public learning institutions to cease its subscription to the newspaper.

Maszlee said he was unaware of the memo, but noted that money could be saved if the news is read online.

Former Utusan editor-in-chief Zainuddin Maidin lauded the ministry's move, saying that the paper is no longer "the voice of the rakyat but an official mouthpiece for the racist Umno."

Umno Bera MP Ismail Sabri Yaakob also chimed in, saying that Pakatan Harapan no longer needs to "fear" Utusan, now that it is in Putrajaya.

Najib defends RM5m Arul Kanda payout

Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak defended the RM5 million ex-gratia payment to former 1MDB chief executive officer Arul Kanda Kandasamy.

The Wall Street Journal reported on fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho’s involvement in two Suria Strategic Energy Resources Sdn Bhd (SSER) gas pipeline projects, allegedly used to launder funds to bail out 1MDB.

The Chinese contractor for the pipelines denied allegations that the loan it received for the projects had been misappropriated to bail out the troubled investment firm.

Najib also denied meeting Low in Beijing in 2017, as investigators were closing in on the latter over the 1MDB scandal.

In a Facebook post, the former finance minister defended the managed float system for fuel used during his administration, and said reintroducing subsidies would be "unfair" to the poor.

Other Kinibites

Telekom Malaysia said that the Mokhzani Mahathir-led firm Opcom Holdings Bhd was awarded a broadband installation and restoration contract through open tender before the 14th general election.

Sukau assemblyperson Saddi Abdul Rahman announced he was quitting Umno to become an independent.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke told PAS lawmakers in the Dewan Rakyat to “ look away” if they found the uniforms of female flight attendants too revealing.

Loke also announced bidding for the special 'Malaysia' series of vehicle plates will be open from Aug 1 to 15, with the minimum price of RM10,000 for numbers 1 to 10.

In a Malaysiakini interview, new Dewan Rakyat speaker Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof said he does not want to be compared with his predecessor, Pandikar Amin Mulia.

Looking ahead

The Malay Chamber of Commerce will have a press conference on the reported break up of Mara at the Seri Pacific Hotel.

Inspector-general of police Mohamad Fuzi Harun and Suhakam will hold a joint press conference at Maktab PDRM Kuala Lumpur.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad will chair a Harapan presidential council meeting at the Perdana Leadership Foundation.