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

'Hidden hands' alleged in Lim’s acquittal

Batu Pahat Umno chief Mohd Puad Zarkashi claimed that attorney-general Tommy Thomas “outsourced” the task of acquitting Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng from graft charges, and alleged there were “hidden hands” at play.

Malaysian Bar president George Varughese contended that Lim's acquittal did not cause a shock, as it is common for the Attorney-General's Chambers to accede to representations made by defence lawyers.

Electoral watchdog Bersih said the dropped charges against Lim signals the urgent need to reform the AGC as well as the MACC.

Lawyer J Gunamalar rejected the AGC's explanation on the acquittal, and called for an immediate inquiry into how the case was dropped.

De facto Deputy Law Minister Department Hanipa Maidin called comparisons between Lim’s case and former Selangor menteri besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo’s graft conviction “ careless” and said that the two cases cannot be equated.

IIUM defends Maszlee's appointment

The International Islamic University Malaysia defended the appointment of Education Minister Maszlee Malik as its president, citing his experience as a former lecturer there.

Earlier, DAP Kampung Tunku assemblyperson Lim Yi Wei urged Maszlee to relinquish his IIUM post, calling it a “clear conflict of interest.”

This was echoed by Umno supreme council member Reezal Merican Naina Merican, who said the appointment contradicted Pakatan Harapan's commitment to free universities from political interference.

Harapan MPs were instructed to submit their asset declarations to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and the MACC by the middle of next month.

In an unrelated matter, two published academic papers from Universiti Malaya were retracted due to the “high level of disorganisation” in the experiments carried out.

Other Kinibites

PKR president-elect Anwar Ibrahim revealed that former premier Najib Abdul Razak tried to make “some sort of arrangement” with him on the night BN lost the 14th general election.

Malaysia and Singapore inked a deal marking their agreement to defer the KL-Singapore High-Speed Rail (HSR) project until 2020, and to bear the S$15 million (RM45.1 million) cost.

Former Sabah chief minister Musa Aman finally took his oath as Sungai Sibuga assemblyperson at the Sabah Legislative Assembly.

Alliance Steel (M) Sdn Bhd agreed to lower the height of the wall encompassing the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park (MCKIP) to 1.8m, according to deputy minister Ong Kian Ming.

Kelantan Menteri Besar Ahmad Yakob said the state government is considering various public places to carry out the syariah punishment of caning, including a stadium.

Looking ahead

PAS and Umno will have a joint press conference in Shah Alam.

Umno's Jamal Yunos will submit a representation to the AGC to drop all cases against him.

Anwar Ibrahim will attend an Indian cultural night in Desa Mentari.