SNAPSHOT | Cops arrest 4 over firecrackers in anti-Azam rally; PKR student leader denies U-turn

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

6pm

Tangkap Azam Baki protest

• Police have arrested four men in connection with fireworks being thrown during a “Tangkap Azam Baki” rally in Kuala Lumpur last month.

  According to Dang Wangi district police chief Sazalee Adam, the suspects have since been released on police bail.

  

  “We have submitted our investigation paper to the Attorney-General’s Chambers and are awaiting instruction for prosecution,” he said in a brief media statement. 

• As MACC chief Azam Baki reached the end of his service term, the Tangkap Azam Baki secretariat today demanded a full reform of the anti-graft agency.

  In a statement, they said the rakyat wants MACC to be an agency that is truly independent and transparent, free from any political influence.

  

  “The rakyat also wants investigations into corruption and the alleged corporate mafia scandal to be carried out thoroughly and without selective treatment,” the statement said.

  The secretariat also urged authorities to reveal their findings in the investigation into provocation at a recent #TangkapAzamBaki rally in Kuala Lumpur.

PKR tussle

• Aqeef Salih, the secretary-general of PKR’s student wing, Mahasiswa Keadilan Malaysia (MKM), has denied a claim by his former comrades that he initially supported their move to express loss of confidence in party president and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim before making a U-turn.

  In a statement, he condemned former MKM chairperson Ram Erfan Zur Nuqman for showing the media screenshots of text messages between them, claiming that the latter had cherry-picked the images to make it look like he had lost confidence in PKR.

  

  “Phrases such as ‘tawar hati’ (disheartened) or ‘lari dari akar perjuangan’ (straying from the original cause) were used as part of my honest expressions and constructive criticism, in my capacity as the secretary-general who wants the party to strive for excellence,” Aqeef said. 

  The student leader stressed that he has never intended to take MKM out of PKR or to undermine Anwar’s leadership. 

READ MORE: 'Anwar has failed' - Eight PKR student leaders quit party

Politics

• Dungun PAS Youth chief Tengku Fakhruddin Tengku Fauzi asserted that Bersatu is losing its direction and “soul” amid the “slaughtering” of a slew of its leaders as part of an internal crackdown.

  In a Facebook post today, the Sura assemblyperson also hinted that Bersatu should consider leaving Perikatan Nasional if its internal strife continues.

  

  He described Bersatu’s presence in the opposition coalition as similar to a “twilight shadow” which disappears without a trace. 

Energy crisis

• A Global Supply Crisis Monitoring Dashboard developed jointly by the Economy Ministry and the Statistics Department is expected to be made publicly accessible on May 15, Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Nasir announced today.

  The dashboard is intended to serve as a centralised and transparent platform for the public to monitor developments related to the global supply crisis.

  

  Its public interface will feature 10 main sections, including energy, commodities, and cost of living, while a separate government-only interface will be used internally to monitor crisis developments and formulate mitigation strategies using near real-time data.

Defence

• Defence Minister Khaled Nordin will meet his Norwegian counterpart in Singapore later this month regarding Norway’s decision to cancel export licences for its naval strike missiles.

  Bernama quoted him as saying he would seek clarification on Norway’s decision and express Malaysia’s regret and surprise towards the cancellation.

  

  “It is very unfortunate that we have signed a contract to purchase the missiles from Norway since 2018. The missiles were supposed to be delivered in March to equip our littoral combat ships (LCS) as well as KD Lekiu and KD Jebat.

  “But a few days before the delivery date, without any indication, the Norwegian government announced that it would not grant a licence to market the product eight years after our purchase. And of course it surprises us, of course it affects us,” he said.

  The minister also reiterated that the decision does not affect good relations between Malaysia and Norway, and diplomatic efforts are ongoing to resolve the issue.

READ MORE: Norwegian missile ban sends two signals to M'sia - analyst

Selangor PAS protest

• The Selangor Menteri Besar’s Office will provide food and beverages for participants of a PAS Youth rally planned for this Saturday in Shah Alam, according to the state Youth, Sports and Entrepreneurship exco Najwan Halimi.

  In a Facebook post, the Kota Anggerik representative said he welcomed the demonstration planned by Selangor PAS Youth to express loyalty to Selangor ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, following alleged “disrespect” by DAP and Pakatan Harapan figures.

  

  “... the rally is in line with the state government’s consistent position on defending Islam, the interests of the Malays, and the sanctity of the royal institution in Selangor,” Najwan said. 

Pig farming

• The pollution in Kampung Selamat and Sungai Kereh in Tasek Gelugor, Penang, is not solely due to pig farming activities, said the state’s Local Government and Town and Country Planning exco H’ng Mooi Lye.

  Other contributing factors include agricultural activities, waste discharge, drainage systems, and environmental factors. Multiple agencies are taking enforcement action to identify the causes and implement corrective measures.

  

  One measure being planned is to transfer pig waste to the Ampang Jajar Transfer Station to be processed as feedstock for an anaerobic digestion system, where it would be used to produce methane gas as a renewable energy source, Bernama reported.

  H’ng reportedly told the Penang state legislative assembly of this in response to Sobri Saleh’s (PN-Permatang Berangan) question on the number of complaints received on the pollution of Sungai Kereh and actions taken by the state government.

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