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

1. An academic group said it is appalled by Universiti Malaysia Perlis vice-chancellor Badlishah Ahmad's defence of a question about controversial preacher Zakir Naik in the university's ethnic relations examination paper, while Klang MP Charles Santiago (above) called for Badlishah's sacking.

2. Perak mufti Harussani Zakaria said those opposed to Jawi are in violation of the Sedition Act.

3. PKR president Anwar Ibrahim said Jawi is a national treasure and some people have gone overboard in their objections.

4. Maszlee Malik reportedly resigned as education minister after receiving a letter from Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to do so on grounds that he had failed to comply with the cabinet's decisions.

5. BN accused Warisan of vote-buying in the Kimanis by-election after a Christmas lucky draw.

6. Kluang MP Wong Shu Qi called for a parliamentary select committee investigation after Malaysia's Special Branch reportedly gave data to Cambridge Analytica for BN's campaign.

7. Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar said states opposed to a hike in water tariff will need to present a plan on how to maintain their state's water infrastructure.

8. Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said he is confident that the country's economy will improve this year.

9. A 12-year-old boy was fined for possessing cigarettes.