SNAPSHOT | Saifuddin says probe on Chin ongoing; Bersatu MP wants NexG issue investigated

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

9pm

‘Corporate mafia’

• Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said investigations into businessperson Victor Chin over the alleged “corporate mafia” scheme involving the MACC are still ongoing, Bernama reported.

  The investigation involves the police as well as the Securities Commission.

  He said authorities also have information on his whereabouts, and any action against him - including whether to revoke his travel documents - will be decided after the initial investigations are complete.

READ MORE: 'I've done nothing wrong': Businessperson slams 'unreasonable' probe, mass account freezes

• Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal has urged for a comprehensive investigation into the technology and security solutions company NexG Bhd, which was allegedly targeted for a takeover by a supposed “corporate mafia”.

  “The investigation is necessary to uncover the truth. NexG has been linked to several influential people and involves government procurement,” he told Malaysiakini.

  

  He said authorities should pay attention to the exposé made by Chin, who claims to be a victim in the takeover, and investigate the matter.

Reporting by Haspaizi Zain

• PKR information chief Fahmi Fadzil said the party is prepared to cooperate fully with investigations into allegations that a PKR parliamentarian had solicited RM10 million to “resolve” Chin’s predicament with the “corporate mafia”.

  “We have not held a meeting (regarding this matter). But the leadership has been informed of the news reports. If there is any misconduct, we leave it to the authorities to conduct investigations.

  “We have nothing to hide, and the party will cooperate with the enforcement authorities,” Bernama quoted him as saying.

  

  Chin had claimed that he ended up paying RM9.5 million, and demanded to have the money back by March 30 or he would expose the MP’s identity.

  The allegation drew a strong rebuke from PKR vice-president R Ramanan, who denied soliciting the money and claimed to have never met Chin.

READ MORE: 'Stop smoking cigars overseas': Ramanan denies soliciting RM10m from Chin

• Earlier today, former MACC chief commissioner Latheefa Koya urged the government to either deny or confirm that a PKR MP had allegedly solicited and taken RM9.5 million from Chin to help resolve the “corporate mafia” issue, in which the businessperson was implicated.

  In a post on X, Latheefa said that there must be absolute transparency to the public in a matter as serious as this.

  

  “Meanwhile, the MACC must treat this as a priority case, move in immediately to record Chin’s statement and thoroughly investigate; they must swiftly get to the truth of the matter- no need to wait around for someone to lodge a report,” she added.

Corruption

• MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki said the commission has completed its investigations into two senior Environment Department officials for alleged corruption in the management of e-waste and plastic waste.

  

  Bernama quoted him saying that the investigation papers have been submitted to the Attorney-General’s Chambers on Feb 26 for one official and on March 6 for the other, with recommendations to press charges.

  “MACC is now awaiting charges by the AGC against the two senior DOE officers,” he said.

Fuel prices

• Prices for unsubsidised fuel continue to soar as fighting in West Asia reverberates in the energy markets.

  Effective at midnight tonight until April 1, the price of unsubsidised RON95 and RON97 petrol will be increased by 60 sen to RM3.87 per litre and RM4.55 per litre, respectively.

  Diesel prices will be increased by 80 sen to RM4.72 per litre in Peninsular Malaysia, but remain unchanged at RM2.15 per litre in Sabah, Sarawak, and Labuan. The price of RON95 petrol subsidised under the Budi Madani scheme is also unchanged at RM1.99 per litre.

  

  Despite the price increases, Malaysia remains largely insulated from supply shocks that forced many neighbouring countries to ration the sale of petrol and reduce vehicular traffic in a bid to keep their fuel stations from running dry.

  On Monday, Slovenia became the first EU country to impose fuel rationing by imposing a daily limit on how much fuel each person could purchase.

READ MORE: Govt starts austerity measures as oil price skyrockets, maintains Budi95 subsidy

6pm

Parole

• Former Sabah’s infrastructure development minister Peter Anthony is currently out on parole after a year of serving his three-year jail sentence for a document falsification offence.

  The Prisons Department’s Corporate Communication Department representative confirmed the matter with Malaysiakini when contacted today, that Peter had been released under the Licensed Prisoner Release (PBSL) programme on March 13.

  The representative also confirmed that Peter is still in Sabah following his release.

  

  Peter, 55, was convicted and sentenced to three years’ imprisonment and a RM50,000 fine in 2022 after the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court found him guilty of forging a letter of support dated June 9, 2014, from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) to Syarikat Asli Jati Engineering Sdn Bhd for a smart partnership project.

  The case was linked to the time when Peter was the managing director of Syarikat Asli Jati, which was involved in a joint venture with UMS' subsidiary Ulink Property Sdn Bhd on a project to construct a building at the university’s Urban Transformation Centre for student activities.

  He began his jail sentence after the Court of Appeal upheld the Session Court’s verdict on March 4 last year.

Reporting by Farah Solhi

Politics

• MIC will remain with BN for now while still being open to all options, said its deputy president M Saravanan.

  Addressing a press conference today, Saravanan said the decision was made at the party’s central working council meeting earlier, following its members' deep concerns over Perikatan Nasional leadership's recent transition from Bersatu to PAS.

  

  He further said MIC had a different perception when PN was led by Muhyiddin Yassin, as the party had experienced working under the Bersatu president’s leadership.

  However, the fate and position of the Indian community became a point of concern after PAS took over PN’s leadership, the Tapah MP added.

Reporting by B Nantha Kumar

Sports

• The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has slapped Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) with a US$6,125 (RM24,000) fine after collecting six bookings - one red card and five yellow cards - in AFC’s Champions League Elite (ACLE) match.

  The New Straits Times reported that the fine was imposed by the federation’s ethics and disciplinary committee after the bookings accumulated during ACLE’s East Zone league-stage against Sanfrecce Hiroshima on Feb 10.

  

  AFC had fined the club twice last year, with the first fine, a total of US$24,000 (RM103,000 at that time), imposed in May for supporters’ misconduct during a game.

  The second fine was imposed in November, when the club was slapped with a fine worth US$5,000 (RM19,785) after failing to provide a “clean stadium” at the official training ground for ACLE’s game against Japan Club on Sept 30.

Fireworks

• Two people aged 30 and 35 were arrested in Johor today and are expected to face remand proceedings tomorrow over a fire incident at a fireworks stall in Majidee Corner, Johor Bharu, on Monday.

  Johor deputy police chief Hoo Chuan Huat confirmed that one of them held a valid licence to sell, possess, and purchase fireworks, Bernama reported.

  

  He said initial investigations found that the fire was caused by a generator used by one of the suspects at his firework stall.

  The blaze subsequently spread to the suspect’s stall, causing the entire stock of fireworks to catch fire and explode before engulfing a nearby parked food truck. Total damages are approximately RM50,000, with no deaths or injuries reported.

• In Kelantan, police arrested two people yesterday for a separate fireworks stall fire at Wakaf Che Yeh, Kota Bharu, earlier that morning.

  “The fire brigade forensic team's examination confirmed that the fire was caused by a short circuit in the electrical wire connection from the premises to the stall's decorative lights and further investigations are still ongoing”, Bernama quoted Kota Bharu police chief Azmir Damiri as saying.

  The suspects are aged 44 and 38, one of whom holds a licence for the stall and also owns a nearby eatery.

2pm

Tour buses  

• The Northern Zone Tour Bus Operators Coalition has sounded the alarm over potential damage to their businesses amid soaring diesel prices and operating costs, coupled with dwindling bookings.

  Coalition chairperson Ahmad Ruslan Abdul Latiff said that many operators are unable to run their businesses under current conditions, stressing that tour bus companies might be forced to “gulung tikar” (shut down) if the situation persists.

  Highlighting that the tour bus industry is vital for tourist movements in the nation, especially during the Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) 2026 campaign, Ruslan said the coalition will submit a memorandum to Putrajaya to urge for solutions to their woes, as reported by Berita Harian.

  

  In a statement yesterday, MCA Youth deputy chairperson Mike Chong called on the government not to exclude tourism buses from existing subsidy frameworks, suggesting instead that such operators be allowed to apply for temporary subsidised diesel fleet cards.

  Chong further asserted that the exclusion of tourism transport from subsidised diesel support implies a “disconnect” between the government’s vision and execution for VMY 2026.

  “If we fail to stabilise transport costs now, even the most attractive destinations will lose out due to prohibitively high travel expenses,” he warned. 

MPs challenge M’sia-US trade deal

• Five Perikatan Nasional MPs’ legal challenge against the Malaysia-US trade deal will proceed, says their lawyer S Khartigesan.

  Despite Investment, Trade, and Industry Minister Johari Abdul Ghani’s March 15 statement that the deal was nullified following a US Supreme Court verdict, Khartigesan said the MPs wanted to pursue the case as it concerns the constitutional process leading to the deal’s signing.

  

  He added that the MPs wanted the Federal Court to hear and determine the matter, as clarification on Article 69 of the Federal Constitution about the federation’s legal capacity is needed.

  The MPs - Rosol Wahid (Hulu Terengganu), Fathul Huzir Ayob (Gerik), Awang Hashim (Pendang), Mas Ermieyati Samsudin (Masjid Tanah), and Abdul Khalid Abdullah (Rompin) - filed the case in January, naming Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the attorney-general, and the government as the first to third defendants.

West Asia conflict

• Malaysia must be prepared to face the economic impact of prolonged conflict in West Asia, the National Security Council (NSC) said in a statement last night.

  The council, which held a special meeting chaired by Anwar, said there will be a special National Economic Action Council meeting today, following yesterday’s meeting, which the premier would also chair.

  

  Assuring that the government will take a comprehensive and coordinated approach to address the situation, the council also said that Malaysia will be proactively contributing to the conflict’s resolution as everybody, from the prime minister to the foreign minister and heads of security agencies, is in close contact with their counterparts. 

  NSC also said that Malaysia’s good relations with all the major players in the conflict, except for Israel, are one of the important factors in playing its role in the resolution. 

Weather

• Schools, which are set to reopen next week, have been instructed to postpone outdoor activities if temperatures exceed 35°C and monitor any activities that expose students to hot weather.

  The Education Ministry has also instructed all educational institutions under its purview to ensure an adequate supply of clean water and that students are sufficiently hydrated, Bernama reported.

  

  School management may also consider granting special permission for students, teachers, and other staff to wear modest sports attire during the hot weather, depending on the needs and situations at each institution.

• The island of Sebatik - which is split in half between Malaysian and Indonesian territories - has been declared a “disaster area” by the Tawau District Disaster Management Committee.

  According to Bernama, prolonged dry conditions on the island east of the Sabah mainland had prompted the official declaration of a drought.

• Three Kedah districts have recorded a Level 2 (heatwave) as of this morning, namely Pokok Sena, Pendang, and Baling. The rest of the state is facing a Level 1 (alert), except for Kota Setar and Yan, according to the Meteorological Department.

  

  Other districts that have been put on alert are the entirety of Perlis; the northeast and northern districts of Penang; Hulu Perak, Selama, Kinta, and Kuala Kangsar in Perak; and Jerantut and Raub in Pahang.

  A district is placed on Level 1 (alert) when daily maximum temperatures reach 35-37°C for at least three consecutive days, and a Level 2 (heatwave) is declared when it reaches 37-40°C for the same period.

  The department says the monsoon transition period will begin on March 29 and continue until May, which could bring strong winds and heavy rains to the western and interior regions of Peninsular Malaysia, and western Sabah and Sarawak.

  “This weather phenomenon could cause flash floods, fallen trees, and damage to weak structures,” it said.

Businessperson accuses PKR MP of taking RM9.5m to 'resolve' corporate mafia scandal

SNAPSHOT | UMPSA expels alleged Quran-stepping student; Muda again calls for 'corporate mafia' RCI

Azam proposes three laws to prevent misappropriation, corruption

'Corporate mafia': Businessperson questions home raid despite police cooperation

COMMENT | New probe findings demand Azam's immediate resignation

After police raids, alleged 'corporate mafia' member threatens to reveal 'the truth'