SNAPSHOT | Albert, content creators launch sit-in protest; Azalina coy over political funding law

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

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Bersatu cracks the whip on its lawmakers; Pahang MB backs crown prince over sand exports

6pm

Protest

• Businessperson Albert Tei and about a dozen other content creators launched a sit-in protest in the lobby of the Communications Ministry in Putrajaya today, demanding a meeting with minister Fahmi Fadzil to seek answers on a purported ban of his TikTok account.

  At around 3.30pm, Tei, a whistleblower twice charged in connection with the Sabah corruption scandal, claimed they had been waiting for an hour, and were supposedly willing to “stay overnight” unless Fahmi agreed to their demands.

  

  Despite alleging a TikTok account ban, the sit-in protest was aired live on another account belonging to Tei, and he was heard mocking Fahmi for being “too afraid” to see them.

  “If the minister doesn’t come, I’ll stay here until then. I will sleep here,” he added.

Political funding

• The drafting of a bill to regulate political funding needs consensus from all political parties before it can proceed further, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform), Azalina Othman Said.

  Bernama quoted her saying that policy matters that have yet to reach consensus include public funding for political parties, contribution limits, and the authority responsible for regulating political funds.

  

  “For Umno, political funding has always been a topic of discussion, but so far it has not reached the level of the Legal Affairs Division. Some political parties also raised the issue during the 15th general election.

  “So, the final decision really depends on the agreement of all political parties because they will ultimately be the users of the law,” she said.

  Asked if the bill could be tabled before the next general election, Azalina replied, “I honestly do not know. It is difficult for me to comment because I do not even know myself.”

READ MORE: 12MP review: Govt committed to enacting political funding law by 2025

Court

• Ba’kelalan assemblyperson Baru Bian has filed an application to strike out PKR’s lawsuit seeking RM10 million in damages.

  The claim concerns allegations that Baru Bian breached the conditions of a bond by leaving the party after the 2018 general election.

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  READ MORE: PKR demands RM10m from ex-members for breaching party bond in Sheraton Move

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  Bernama reported that he is arguing that the High Court of Malaya has no jurisdiction to hear the case, since the bond was signed in Kuching.

  

  The application was filed through Messrs YH Teh & Quek on April 6. The court has fixed May 20 for case management before High Court judge Roslan Mat Nor.

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