SNAPSHOT | N Sembilan ruler's son new Tunku Panglima Besar; PAS leader: MN not key to unity

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

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2pm

Royal dispute

• Negeri Sembilan ruler Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir has proclaimed his second child Tunku Zain Al-'Abidin as the new Tunku Panglima Besar Negeri Sembilan.

  Tunku Zain (above) takes over from Tunku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja’afar, who had supposedly lost his right to the hereditary title for trying to usurp the Yang di-Pertuan Besar's position recently.

  According to a report by Astro Awani, the proclamation was done in a ceremony held at the Istana Besar Seri Menanti in Kuala Pilah this morning.

READ MORE: Ceremony proclaiming Tunku Nadzaruddin as N Sembilan ruler invalid - palace

Politics

• Umno’s seeming rejection of reconciling with PAS ahead of upcoming elections will not hinder efforts towards fostering Malay-Muslim unity, said a senior PAS leader.

  According to Free Malaysia Today, PAS treasurer Iskandar Abdul Samad said Malay-Muslim unity does not hinge on Muafakat Nasional (MN) alone.

  

  “What is pertinent is that there is an understanding among Malay Muslims to set aside their differences to achieve the same goal,” he was quoted as saying.

  On Tuesday, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the party had no intention of reviving the MN pact, “whether it is MN 1.0 or 2.0”, as the party had “closed the book on it”.

  The MN alliance, aimed at consolidating the Malay-Muslim vote, was formalised in 2019 when Pakatan Harapan led the federal government, and collapsed after PAS formed Perikatan Nasional with Bersatu the following year.

Animal welfare

• Animal welfare activists have lodged a police report compelling authorities to probe the transfer of three Malaysian elephants, Dara, Amoi, and Kelat, to Tennoji Zoo in Osaka.

  

  Association for the Protection of the Natural Heritage of Malaysia (Peka) president Rajesh Nagarajan said the report, lodged against Taiping Zoo, Perhilitan and former natural resources and environmental sustainability minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, seeks disclosure of documents related to the transfer.

  Rajesh alleged that the transfer was approved during Nik Nazmi’s tenure as minister and urged police to refer the case to Bukit Aman for further investigation.

  He added that Peka plans to lodge a MACC report next week, citing suspicions of corruption surrounding the matter. Malaysiakini has reached out to Nik Nazmi for comments.

  Reporting by Ayesha Sheik Mazrul

Previously at 9am | 'Bersatu was ready to consider Reset in PN'; Tun Faisal: When did PAS last sit down with Amanah?

DAP Youth chief insists Umno No 2 involved in N Sembilan plot, cites Muhyiddin letter

Bersatu to be hit hard over PAS' decision, expect new political alignments - analysts

Ceremony proclaiming Tunku Nadzaruddin as N Sembilan ruler invalid - palace

Umno open to any political pacts based on trust, stability

MACC urged to probe 'anomalies' in elephants' transfer to Japan

Activist raises concerns over welfare of Malaysian elephants at Osaka zoo