SNAPSHOT | Zahid against N Sembilan coup, says Loke; Muda opposes Health Ministry budget cut

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

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Jawi objects to KL water music festival; PAS leader wants tourism minister to resign

2pm

Negeri Sembilan crisis

• DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke claimed Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi disagrees with the formation of any “tebuk atap” (backdoor coup) state government in Negeri Sembilan.

  Berita Harian reported that Loke claimed Zahid had raised the matter at yesterday’s cabinet meeting, after 14 BN assemblypersons withdrew their support from the state’s Menteri Besar Aminuddin Harun.

  

  Subsequently, Loke said, it is business as usual for the state government under Aminuddin’s leadership, to ensure stability and continuity of the administration at the state level. 

READ MORE: Umno signals stability in N Sembilan, respects rebel reps, backs state govt

Healthcare

• The government must not cut the Health Ministry’s budget under any circumstances or risk the public healthcare system collapsing, Muda president Amira Aisya Abdul Aziz warned.

  

  “If you want to slash funds, cut the budget for festivals that don’t bring any benefit.

  “Cut the budget of trips that our ministers like to do, cut J-Kom’s budget,” she said, referring to the government’s propaganda arm.

READ MORE: 'Not worth it': Group warns health budget cut may increase deaths, worsen disease burden

Economy

• The Finance Ministry has reiterated that its guidelines on spending cuts only involve non-critical spending.

  Core expenditure - including basic services, security, healthcare and education - will continue as approved under Budget 2026, Bernama reported, citing a statement from the ministry today.

  

  This entails deferring events, limiting overseas travel and training, reducing utility costs, optimising agency reserves, and postponing the filling of non-critical positions.

  It said allocations for key ministries such as the Health Ministry and the Education Ministry will remain unaffected, as both are among the largest recipients under this year’s budget.

  This is despite reports yesterday citing a confidential Treasury directive which proposed cutting RM3.06 billion from the Health Ministry and RM2.39 billion from the Education Ministry.

READ MORE: Finance Ministry confirms ordering 'recalibration' amid reports of RM10b budget cut

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Umno signals stability in N Sembilan, respects rebel reps, backs state govt

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