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

Najib maintains 'innocence' over 1MDB

Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, in an interview with the Financial Times, maintained his innocence over the 1MDB affair and appeared unrepentant when pressed about his role in the scandal.

In a Facebook post, Najib warned Putrajaya that implementing a Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on the sale and purchase of shares would drive foreign and domestic investors to other markets which do not have such a tax.

In reply, PKR deputy president hopeful Rafizi Ramli said taking profits from shares is fairer than the goods and services tax (GST) implemented by the Najib administration.

Meanwhile, the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court acquitted and discharged graphic designer Fahmi Reza on a charge of uploading a clown caricature of Najib onto Instagram two years ago.

DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang, in his back-and-forth exchange with Najib on the issue of reopening murder cases of the Najib era, said he is not suffering from amnesia and instead it is Najib who suffered from hallucination.

Anwar will win PD, says survey

A survey by Institute Darul Ehsan shows that PKR president-elect Anwar Ibrahim could ace the Port Dickson by-election while his former aide Saiful Bukhari Azlan may get zero percent of votes.

The same survey also showed some PD voters complaining of not receiving aid such as the BR1M as they did during the time of the BN administration.

Six non-government organisations (NGOs) in Port Dickson expressed their support for Anwar in the by-election this Saturday.

Speaking on the campaign trail, Anwar joked that he was willing to offer “consultancy” about life in prison including to “certain VIPs” currently facing trial.

Meanwhile, Ezam Mohd Noor, a former aide of Anwar, urged voters not to vote for Anwar nor Isa Samad in the coming by-election.

Other Kinibites

The cabinet has decided to suspend the enforcement of the Sedition Act 1948 pending its repeal, says Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo.

Several rulers had campaigned against Dr Mahathir Mohamad to prevent him from becoming prime minister again, veteran newsman A Kadir Jasin claims.

Labuan MP Rozman Isli confirmed speculation that he has quit Umno to join Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan), making him the sixth Umno MP to quit the party since its electoral loss on May 9.

The Court of Appeal dismisses the appeal by senior lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah on the defamation suits he filed against the Malaysian Bar, attorney-general Tommy Thomas and former Court of Appeal judge VC George.

Malacca PAS commissioner Kamaruddin Sidek urged the state government to review the position of Norhizam Hassan Baktee as the state executive councillor for agriculture, entrepreneurial development and agro-based industries, following the latter's “rough handling” of his constituents recently.

Looking ahead

There will be a press conference on a minimum wage protest in Brickfields.

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will go the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya for his third day of questioning.