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Ex-spymaster to be remanded; gov’t urged to enact FOI law

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

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) arrested former Malaysian External Intelligence Organisation (MEIO) chief Hasanah Abdul Hamid yesterday for allegedly misappropriating election funds. MACC is expected to apply for a remand order to detain her today.

Earlier yesterday morning, MACC obtained a remand order on a deputy director-general with the title 'datuk' and six administrative and diplomatic officers from the Prime Minister’s Department over the same alleged offence.

Gov't urged to enact FOI law

National Human Rights Society (Hakam) urged the government to replace the Official Secrets Act 1972 with a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), arguing that it could be crafted to meet legitimate needs for secrecy.

Ayer Hitam MP Wee Ka Siong argued that if a FOIA is to be enacted, it should be based on Selangor’s FOI Enactment rather than that of Penang. But first, he said, the government must demonstrate that it upholds the rule of law.

Meanwhile, Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) founder Cynthia Gabriel said the 1MDB Committee’s report should remain secret for now, because it relates to investigations that have yet to be completed.

Other Kinibites

Media Prima Bhd’s broadcasting centre Sri Pentas was hit with a bomb threat last night, forcing an evacuation. Police say the incident would be investigated as criminal intimidation.

The Prime Minister’s Office has clarified that foreigners are allowed to buy properties in Malaysia, but this is subject to certain conditions.

Political economist Edmund Terence Gomez is puzzled why the government has not undertaken an extensive review of government-linked companies, after Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had claimed that they have deviated from their original purposes before the recent general election.

Looking ahead

Parti Sosialis Malaysia will be handing over a memorandum on the country’s public healthcare system to the Ministry of Health.

The Electoral Reform Committee led by former Election Commission chairperson Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman will be holding its maiden press conference.

The Citizen Action Group on Enforced Disappearance (Caged) is hosting a two-day regional conference on enforced disappearances, starting today.

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