SNAPSHOT | MIC welcomes BN's 115 seats target; PM says Iran war economic fallout under control

KINI SNAPSHOT | What’s going on in the news today, with updates at 9am, 2pm, 6pm, and 9pm.

9pm

Politics

• MIC strategy director Sivaraj Chandran has welcomed BN’s plan to contest in 115 parliamentary seats in the next general election, lauding it as a solid move to ensure BN’s return to dominance.

  He urged the coalition to start preparations for the election by naming election coordinators for all 115 federal seats, as well as state seats.

  “This shows BN’s commitment and effort to contest and win those 115 seats in the coming general election,” he said in a statement.

  

  Previously, Malaysiakini quoted multiple sources stating that BN chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi intends to contest at least 115 parliamentary seats to ensure the coalition leads the federal government and to dispel the perception that BN plays second fiddle to Pakatan Harapan in the unity government.

READ MORE: Will Anwar let BN contest 115 Parliament seats?

Economy

• The government is monitoring potential economic impacts of the conflict in West Asia through weekly National Economic Action Council (NEAC) meetings, said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is also the finance minister.

  He said the NEAC meeting he chaired today - which is the council’s second meeting this year - received a briefing on Malaysia’s main economic indicators, and the overall situation is still under control.

  

  “However, monitoring and early steps to address possible developments that may arise need to be planned now.

  “In this regard, NEAC discussions will involve more active participation from industries to ensure understanding of the issues and faster and more practical proposals for solutions can be taken,” Bernama quoted him as saying.

  Yesterday, Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Nasir said the NEAC meeting today would discuss the conflict’s impact on the transportation sector, particularly aviation, and mitigation measures to safeguard oil and gas supply.

6pm

Politics

• Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin has denied claims that there are efforts to align the party with Pakatan Harapan.

  In a statement today, Muhyiddin said this was a wild allegation, while reiterating Bersatu’s commitment to Perikatan Nasional.

  

  He was responding to his former deputy Hamzah Zainudin, who was reported yesterday as claiming that an ex-PKR faction within Bersatu was trying to establish ties with Harapan. He did not substantiate his claims.

Court

• The Court of Appeal has fixed three days from July 1 to hear Rosmah Mansor’s appeal to set aside her conviction and sentence in the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid project corruption case, Bernama reported.

  

  Judge Nadzarin Wok Nordin fixed the dates during case management today, said Rosmah’s lawyer Akberdin Abdul Kader.

• Ramly Food Processing Sdn Bhd, famous for the eponymous patties served in burger stalls throughout the country, has been fined RM135,000 after the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court found it guilty of discharging industrial effluents into inland waters.

  Judge Siti Shakirah Mohtarudin held that the defence had failed to raise a reasonable doubt against the charges against the company, which was represented by its manager, Shaiful Azwa Zakaria.

  

  The offences under Regulation 11(1)(b) of the Environmental Quality (Industrial Effluents) Regulations 2009 took place on June 20, 2024, at the company’s premises in Batu Caves, Bernama reported.

  It allegedly discharged effluent containing 17.9 mg/l of oil and grease, which exceeded the limit of 10 mg/l. It also allegedly discharged 228 mg/l of suspended solids, which exceeded the limit of 100 mg/l.

  The prosecution was conducted by the Kuala Lumpur Environment Department prosecuting officers, Ridzuan Zainal and Norliza Ismail, while lawyer Maznah Kamarudin represented the company.

Transport

• Only 20 percent of heavy vehicles have installed speed limitation devices, despite being made a requirement since October last year, Bernama reported.

  Transport Minister Anthony Loke said this means enforcement action will continue, while the ministry works to improve the system by increasing the number of workshops authorised to install the devices that limit vehicular speeds to 90km/h.

  “We urge the industry to take this matter seriously,” he said.

  

  The requirement for heavy vehicles to be fitted with speed limiters came after a bus accident last year killed 15 students from Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris.

  However, a subsequent investigation also found infrastructural defects and systemic regulatory failures that also contributed to the accident and the loss of life.

READ MORE: 15 lives lost: Probe exposes systemic failures - who will be held accountable?

Quizzed on damning bus crash report, Loke points to road upgrades

2pm

Crime

• Lawyer Haniff Khatri Abdulla does not expect any charges to be filed against controversial preacher Zamri Vinoth today as they’re still waiting for an update from the authorities, Harian Metro reported.

  The Malay daily also reported that investigations into Zamri’s case are still ongoing despite earlier reports saying that he was facing two charges - one over the foiled anti-temple rally on Feb 7, and another for alleged insults against the Indian community.

• Last night, Haniff told Malaysiakini that Zamri (above) was back in the country and had given his statement to the police. His supporters had also planned to gather at the Kuala Lumpur court complex this morning.

  

  However, police have not confirmed with the press whether there will be charges, saying only they would give an update if there is one.

  Zamri had previously crossed into Thailand together with self-proclaimed land activist Tamim Dahri Abdul Razak, who is also wanted by police.

  Reporting by Farah Solhi, Qistina Nadia Dzulqarnain 

Environment

• Residents from Batu Arang, Selangor, have submitted a memorandum today at the Selangor State Secretariat building in Shah Alam, demanding that all plans for the proposed Sultan Idris Shah incinerator be dropped indefinitely.

  The memorandum, addressed to Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari and state executive councillors Jamaliah Jamaluddin and Ng Suee Lim, came after the project’s environmental impact assessment (EIA) was purportedly rejected for the third time.

  

  Batu Arang residents’ spokesperson Yap Wan Ken stated that the EIA’s repeated rejections reflect the Environment Department’s view that the project is unsuitable for the area and should not proceed.

  She reiterated the project’s environmental and health concerns, including the town’s ill-suited geographical structure, which is built on open-cast coal mines that could risk collapse if the project were to move forward.

  Reporting by Ayesha Sheik Mazrul

‘Na’imah Move’

• Civil society groups today condemned police investigations against activists, academics, and political researchers under Section 124B of the Penal Code, warning that the move risks intimidating citizens and suppressing legitimate criticism of the government.

  Speaking at a press conference in Petaling Jaya, Bersih chairperson Faisal Aziz read out a joint statement issued by 10 organisations, endorsed by 49 civil societies and 30 individuals, questioning the justification behind the police probe. 

  ---

  READ MORE: Groups demand transparency in police probe of alleged plot against govt

  ---

  The groups said the investigations, reportedly linked to alleged “activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy”, appeared to target individuals who had lawfully criticised the government based on facts.

  

  Police have reportedly confirmed that 14 individuals - among them members of C4 Center and Bersih, as well as academics and researchers - are part of a probe into allegations that ex-minister Daim Zainuddin’s widow Na’imah Abdul Khalid was trying to destabilise the government, including through a Bloomberg report exposing alleged MACC misconduct.

  Reporting by Alyaa Alhadjri

9am

Crime

• Self-proclaimed land activist Tamim Dahri Abdul Aziz has challenged his critics to locate him.

  In a short post on Threads, Tamim questioned whether those who want him caught are sure that he is in southern Thailand.

  He ended the post with the hashtag “catch me if you can”.

  Police said that Tamim is set to face two charges, one for sedition over an allegedly racially charged live stream, and another charge for desecrating a sacred Hindu symbol.

  

  ---

  READ MORE: SNAPSHOT | Zamri, Tamim entered Thailand legally

  ---

Economy

• The Malaysian Tourism Agency Association (Mata) is urging the government to consider measures to support tour bus operators in managing rising diesel prices amid the ongoing Iran conflict.

  This is after an 80 sen increase in diesel prices to RM3.92 per litre for the cheaper Euro5 B10 and B20 blends last Thursday.

  “Many operators are now forced to absorb the additional costs because the booking prices were agreed earlier. This has significantly reduced profit margins, and in some cases, operators are operating with minimal or no margin at all,” Mata president Khalid Harun said in a statement today.

COMMENT | Will Madani kowtow to Zamri and Tamim?

Growing vegetables part of layered strategy for food security, says Mat Sabu

COMMENT | Children exploited online for terrorism shouldn't be held under Sosma

COMMENT | Defend Islam, but not by insulting others