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

Zahid arrested for receiving gratification, CBT charges

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was arrested by the MACC and is expected to be charged with receiving gratification, criminal breach of trust and money laundering today.

His wife Hamidah Khamis claims that Zahid had rejected his lawyer's proposal to seek his release from MACC custody and opted to go straight to the court from the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya today.

Anticipating his arrest earlier, Umno leaders urged party members to pray for Zahid to give him the strength.

Umno supreme council member Mohd Khusairi Abdul Talib claimed the MACC action against Zahid stemmed from Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's disappointment with Zahid for not disbanding Umno.

Former Umno president Najib Abdul Razak also appeared before MACC for the sixth time yesterday, to explain 'new findings' on 1MDB's debt payments to the International Petroleum Investment Company.

Dr M unveils RMK11 mid-term review

Mahathir, in unveiling the mid-term review of the 11th Malaysia Plan (RMK11), said he hopes it will help transform Malaysia from a kleptocracy into a true democracy.

Mahathir announced that the government will also launch programmes aimed at uplifting minorities in the country while reforming the bumiputera empowerment agenda.

It will also see Putrajaya reviewing and streamlining the role of state-owned entities and monopolies to enhance market efficiency and fair competition.

Economic Affairs Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali said under the review, Putrajaya will embark on good governance and institutional reforms to restore investor confidence in the country's economy.

Najib, who was also a former finance minister, said the RMK11 review lacked substance and was merely a continuation of what the previous BN government had achieved.

Other Kinibites

Mahathir told a press conference in Parliament that Budget 2019 will have a reduced development expenditure as a big chunk of the government's revenue is to be used to pay off debts.

Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said there has been no official proposal or communication from Malaysia related to the construction of the crooked bridge.

PAS vice-president Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said state rulers and sultans have special rights to give awards to elected representatives and the privilege should not be questioned.

Veteran journalist and Mahathir's special adviser on media affairs A Kadir Jasin said the decision by five ministers to accept their 'Datuk' title awards was 'unintelligent'.

Five members of the Election Commission, including its deputy chief commissioner, have shortened their tenure and will vacate their positions on Jan 1, 2019.

Looking ahead

Zahid will be charged in the Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur.

A judgment in default is scheduled to be issued on the Equanimity case in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.