SNAPSHOT | Cops to summon Azam over Albert report; GE16 will be 'free-for-all' contest, says Rafizi

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

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Na'imah, 2 sons overseas, cops confirm; Kelantan PKR divisions staying loyal to Anwar

6pm

Crime

• Police are expected to summon former MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki to facilitate an investigation into a report by businessperson Albert Tei, who claimed he was threatened by Azam through the latter's lawyer.

  Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director M Kumar said this in a press conference earlier today, where he also confirmed that police have recorded statements from Tei and the alleged lawyer.

  "The investigation is being conducted under Section 506 of the Penal Code for criminal intimidation," he said, as quoted by NST Online.

  Tei had on May 13 lodged a police report alleging that Azam had threatened and attempted to stop him from exposing the Sabah corruption scandal in November 2024.

READ MORE: Albert lodges police report against Azam over Sabah scandal, claims threats

Politics

• Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi revealed that the state’s royal household had advised him to personally apologise to Ahmad Zahid Hamidi over his past call for the Umno president’s resignation, following Umno’s dismal performance at the 2022 general election.

  Speaking on the “Keluar Sekejap” podcast, Onn Hafiz said Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar and Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim had privately counselled him over his remarks, which were deemed to have gone too far.

  

  According to the New Straits Times, Onn Hafiz said he had sought out Zahid to make amends after the royal figures told him it was okay to apologise while affirming: “We have a state to run.”

  The admission came after co-host and former Umno man Shahril Hamdan highlighted that while he had been hit with disciplinary action after calling for Zahid’s resignation at the time, Onn Hafiz had not been similarly punished.

• Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama) de facto leader Rafizi Ramli predicted that Umno would split its path with Pakatan Harapan in the upcoming general election.

  In a statement, the former economy minister claimed Umno agreed to form the government with Harapan in 2022 only for its survival after suffering major losses in the 15th general polls.

  

  "I will never believe Umno is going into GE16 as a second fiddle to Harapan. Umno does not exist to be another party's political accessory but instead to control the government.

  "Umno suffered major losses in GE15. They formed a government with Harapan only for survival. It was a temporary arrangement to stabilise the country, not a permanent marriage," Rafizi said.

  The former Pandan MP believes that GE16 would be a "free-for-all" contest where every party would fend for itself.

• Umno supreme council member Razlan Rafii has hit back at Rafizi Ramli for his recent criticisms against the party, calling the former cabinet member a hypocrite over his alleged failure to keep many of Pakatan Harapan's election promises.

  In a statement, Razlan urged the Bersama new leader and his friends to stop using Umno as a punching bag to cover their weaknesses.

  

  The political secretary to Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi also called on Rafizi "to repent" from his sin of promoting PKR to the rakyat, a party which he now rejects.

• In a tit-for-tat response, MCA president Wee Ka Siong has called out DAP for cooperating with Umno and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) in the unity government.

  This came after DAP strategic director Liew Chin Tong earlier today urged Wee to state whether MCA would support the PAS-led Perikatan Nasional in the event of another hung parliament.

  

  In a Facebook post, Wee said DAP is now backing Umno and GPS despite having criticised the parties in the past for allegedly being corrupt, incompetent and oppressive.

  "DAP even publicly apologised to GPS, which they had claimed was robbing the state's riches while keeping people dirt poor.

  "So spare us the cheap propaganda and fear-mongering among non-Muslim voters before the Johor election," he said.

Digital rights

• The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association (Fomca) has called for the postponement of new rules that require online platforms to implement age verification for Malaysian users beginning June 1.

  While acknowledging the importance of protecting children from online harms, its CEO Saravanan Thambirajah said the government must first present a clear and transparent framework explaining how the system works and protect consumer rights.

  

  In particular, the group opposed requiring Malaysians to submit identity documents to foreign social media platforms, technology companies, and verification service providers, whose business models rely on data collection and user profiling.

  “The issue goes far beyond age verification. This involves highly sensitive national identity information belonging to millions of Malaysians,” he said.

READ MORE: MCMC cracks down on harmful content with two Online Safety Act codes effective June 1

• Former Umno supreme council member Isham Jalil said the MCMC will not be pursuing its probes into his queries concerning the Philippines purchase of diesel, which was alleged to have originated from Malaysia.

  In a Facebook post today, Isham said MCMC informed him that the investigation has been classified as “no further action” as no offence was committed, with his mobile device also set to be returned to him.

  

  “When the government changes in the future, InsyaAllah, we will be fair to the rakyat when handling criticisms, (instead of) acting with an iron fist and easily getting triggered like the ministers and political leaders of today's government,” Isham added.

  Government spokesperson Fahmi Fadzil previously dispelled claims that Malaysia had sent diesel to the Philippines, clarifying that the vessel involved had merely departed from Malaysian waters while the oil was owned and sold by a Singapore-based company.

Mishap

• The four-day search and rescue operation for the missing hiker Nur Izzati Humaira Azizul, 19, ended in tragedy today when her remains were found at about 11.59am.

  She was found about 500m away from where she was last seen at Bukit Changkat Asa, Hulu Selangor.

  Her remains have been handed to the police and taken to the Kuala Kubu Bharu Hospital, Bernama quoted Selangor Fire and Rescue Department assistant operations director Ahmad Mukhlis Mukhtar as saying.

  Nur Izzati became separated from her family at about 10.50am on Saturday while descending the hill, when she decided to walk ahead alone as she felt hot and tired, and is believed to have lost her way afterwards.

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