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

Harapan sails through twin by-elections

Pakatan Harapan won both the Seri Setia and Balakong by-elections.

Though losing in Balakong, MCA managed to improve on its 14th general election showing for the state seat, and retained its deposit.

PAS benefited the most from its new alliance with BN – increasing its vote share in Seri Setia significantly – but the partnership bore little fruit for MCA.

Shafee drags Dr M into RM9.5m scandal

Lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah claimed it was Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad that pushed the previous BN administration into appointing him as special prosecutor in Anwar Ibrahim's Sodomy II trial.

Shafee claimed the RM9.5 million he received from former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak was for legal services rendered to Umno and BN since the 1990s.

Other Kinibites

Bersatu leaders warned the party against becoming corrupt like Umno as the party celebrated its second anniversary.

Party president Muhyiddin Yassin denied any power struggle between Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his planned successor Anwar Ibrahim.

At the launch of her book on 1MDB, Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown said the scandal offers but a glimpse into a corrupt global offshore financial system.

Looking ahead

Today is the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's official birthday, celebrations of which have been scaled down this year.