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

I should be dead, jokes Dr M

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, in an interview with AFP, spoke about his exhaustive task of dealing with the previous government's wrongdoings, in his second round as PM, and joked that at 93, he 'should be dead now, actually'.

Mahathir also told reporters after a function that the government is in the midst of considering whether it is worth bringing home fugitive financier Low Taek Jho's private jet allegedly bought with funds embezzled from 1MDB.

The US Department of Justice has indicted Jho Low, as well as former Goldman Sachs bankers Tim Leissner and Roger Ng, with multiple criminal charges related to the 1MDB scandal.

Council of Eminent Persons chairperson Daim Zainuddin said Low contacted him last week seeking immunity in exchange for finding assets linked to the 1MDB.

Former PetroSaudi executive and whistleblower Xavier Justo said Low might be killed as he "knows everything" about the 1MDB scandal, but added that he did not wish that to happen and that Low should be brought to court.

Guan Eng tops assets list

Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng topped the list of monthly incomes of Pakatan Harapan and Warisan lawmakers - published on the MACC's official asset declaration website - with an income of RM86,464.92 monthly, with Mahathir's placing a possible fourth.

Works Minister Baru Bian, who for a short while was placed on the list with RM108,056 in income, clarified that it was a mistake stemming from him declaring his allowances twice.

Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching said she was puzzled why her name was left out of the MACC website even though she had declared her assets two weeks ago.

On another matter, the new tax which will be announced in Budget 2019 today will not be a burden to the people, Deputy Finance Minister Amiruddin Hamzah said.

Ahead of the budget, BN presented its "People's Economy Initiative" document with eight strategies that it claimed could boost the country's total revenue to RM247 billion next year, including by reintroducing the GST at a lower rate of three percent.

Other Kinibites

The MACC said it was on the lookout for Apco Malaysia head Paul Stadlen, a British citizen, in connection with its investigation into the 1MDB scandal. Stadlen also used to manage former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak's public relations and press operations.

Seven police officers have been suspended over the alleged disappearance of RM7.9 million, belonging to an investor, during a search at his condominium unit on Jalan U-Thant, Kuala Lumpur, on Sept 8, said inspector-general of police, Mohamad Fuzi Harun

Swiss whistleblower Xavier Justo has apologised to federal Commercial Crime Investigation Department director Amar Singh after Amar told him to 'stop lying' about his claim that he was forced to declare that Najib 'was the best prime minister'.

Incumbent Malacca PKR chief and Deputy Primary Industries Minister Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin admitted using his official government car for PKR election campaigning in Batu Pahat on Oct 30 but said it was not done on purpose.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke reiterated that the government would not give in to the demands of taxi drivers who want the authorities to ban e-hailing (e-call) services, in particular, Grab.

Looking ahead

Budget 2019 will be unveiled, the first by the Pakatan Harapan administration.