KINI SNAPSHOT | What’s going on in the news today, with updates at 11am, 2pm, and 6pm.

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Tok Mat not behind N Sembilan political crisis - Zahid; Harapan, Umno to iron out differences

2pm

Politics

  • Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim wants a draft legislation to amend the Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) Act in the next three months, supposedly to demonstrate urgency in strengthening the governance of bumiputera institutions.

    “Submit the draft to me within three months. I do not think we need to wait for experts for six, seven, or eight months - what for?” he was reported as saying by The Star at Mara’s 60th anniversary celebration in Kuala Lumpur today.

    The remark comes ahead of a rumoured snap election. Anwar’s coalition, Pakatan Harapan, has long struggled with Malay support.

READ MORE: PM: Madani govt's strong bumi agenda proves it is not just for elites

Press

  • The Malaysian Media Council today called for authorities to curb the use of criminal laws against journalism, urging self-regulation as the first path to dispute resolution.

    In its statement for World Press Freedom Day, the council also demanded more protection for journalists carrying out legitimate reporting, including those covering conflict, crisis, crime, disasters, and public interest investigations.

    It further called for clear safeguards to ensure editorial independence amid public funding and industry support mechanisms, while ensuring consistent support for the financial sustainability and professional development of local journalism.

    The council noted that journalism in Malaysia faces pressures from multiple directions, including economic difficulties, safety risks, public distrust, misinformation, artificial intelligence, and platform disruption.

    Stressing its own role in the media ecosystem, it said it is working towards the functionality of its complaints mechanism, strengthening its code of conduct, engagement with media organisations, and supporting the development of journalists as well as editors.

  • Press freedom group Gerakan Media Merdeka (Geramm) said Malaysia’s decline in the World Press Freedom Index 2026 reflects growing pressures on journalists.

    “In an increasingly challenging landscape, media practitioners continue to face pressure - from subtle intimidation to legal action - simply for carrying out their duty to report the truth. This must not be normalised,” it said in a statement today.

    READ MORE: M'sia drops to 95th in global press freedom index

    Highlighting the role of journalism in a functioning democracy, Geramm said that media solidarity is a shared responsibility in ensuring the public’s access to transparent and credible information.

Previously at 11am | Woman nabbed over knife at Rain Rave; litterbugs' next event is community service