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

Ultimatum issued to The Star

An aide to Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mujahid Yusof Rawa has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to The Star demanding an apology for its article that had purportedly taken the minister’s comments on khalwat (close proximity) raids out of context.

Mujahid, who is de facto Islamic Affairs minister, has also come forward to deny that the report, which said there would be no more khalwat raids, came from his comments to the daily.

The report had drew mixed reactions from religious authorities. Yesterday, Pahang regent Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah said the state would continue with its raids, while the Federal Territories Religious Department (Jawi) said it is open to reconsidering its procedures.

Dr M’s presence to heat up PD campaign

The Port Dickson by-election campaign is expected to heat up in its second week, Bernama reports, starting with Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s campaigning for PKR candidate Anwar Ibrahim later today.

Outgoing PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said Mahathir’s presence would help boost support for Anwar, saying that it is unusual for a prime minister to join a by-election campaign.

Meanwhile, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang mooted a forum between him and Mahathir, to which Mahathir responded, “Maybe another day.”

Separately, Election Commission chairperson Azhar Azizan Harun warned cabinet members and politicians holding public office not to campaign during office hours or abuse government facilities.

Other Kinibites

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) announced that Malaysians will enjoy cheaper and faster fixed broadband prices as telecommunications companies implement the Mandatory Standard on Access Pricing (MSAP) programme.

Former chief justice Abdul Hamid Mohamad lays out the legal provisions that would allow a former convict to contest in elections and eventually become prime minister.

A study on abolishing the mandatory death penalty is in its final stages and will be tabled to the cabinet by the end of the year, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Liew Vui Keong announced.

Tom Wright, the author of Billion Dollar Whale, has denied Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown’s allegations that his and his colleague Bradley Hope’s reporting have compromised her anonymous sources.

Looking ahead

Mahathir will campaign for Anwar in the Port Dickson by-election at night.

Mujahid is expected to launch a roundtable discussion on Syariah criminal law.

Academy of Sciences Malaysia will launch a report on a study on the haze that affected Malaysia in 1997 and 2015.