SNAPSHOT | PJ MP quits PKR's central leadership; Najib's loyalist challenges J-Kom chief to debate

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

Latest:

New J-Kom chief continues to draw flak; Fahmi tells PJ MP to explain resignation to voters

2pm

Politics

• Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung has quit from PKR's central leadership council, but remains a party member and MP until Parliament is dissolved.

  Taking to Facebook, Lee (above) reflected on his time in PKR and the challenges and initiatives that were planned and announced, including Pakatan Harapan’s pledge to provide Constituency Development Fund allocations equally to all MPs, regardless of party affiliation.

  "Now that Harapan chairperson Anwar Ibrahim has become prime minister, however, voters in the Petaling Jaya parliamentary constituency which I represent were penalised on May 29 when access to the MyKhas system was revoked," he added.

  Besides Lee, Subang MP Wong Chen’s MyKhas access was also blocked.

• Pro-BN political blogger and Najib Abdul Razak’s loyalist, Eric See-To, challenged Community Communications Department (J-Kom) director-general Hisyamuddin Ghazali to a debate, after Hisyamuddin continued his offensive against the former.

  

  The former BN strategic communications deputy director commented on Hisyamuddin’s Facebook post, in which the latter defended the Madani government’s allocation for J-Kom in response to criticism that it is a waste of public funds.

  Eric also listed several shortcomings of J-Kom.

READ MORE: New J-Kom chief targets govt critics, moots debates with Albert, Najib loyalist

• Former minister Mustapa Mohamed has returned to Umno under the Rumah Bangsa initiative.

  Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki shared about Mustapha’s re-entry on Facebook today. Mustapha, also known as Tok Pa, quit the party in 2018.

  

  He said that since online registration officially opened on April 20 up till the Umno supreme council meeting on June 10, the registration of new members and the return of former party leaders and members reached a total of 21,858 people.

  Asyraf claimed that this includes leaders from Bersatu across Malaysia.

READ MORE: Umno 'big home' for Malays, Zahid moots 'unification' committee

• Muda, which has a single seat in the Johor assembly, is expected to announce a “Blok Progresif” (Progressives Bloc), slate of candidates, and manifesto for the upcoming Johor state polls.

  In a statement, its president Amira Aisya Abdul Aziz said the party felt a responsibility to Johor voters to increase its presence in the 56-seat assembly.

  

  Muda won the Puteri Wangsa seat in the March 2022 Johor election when it campaigned as part of the Pakatan Harapan coalition. The party has since left the bloc.

  The party had previously announced that it was in talks with other opposition parties to campaign in Johor.

Freedom of speech

• Businessperson Albert Tei announced a protest outside TikTok headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, after his account on the platform was blocked.

  

  He shared with Malaysiakini a letter he sent to Cheras district police chief Rosdi Daud, notifying him of the “Himpunan Gegar TikTok” tomorrow at 10am.

  Tei said the gathering is to express a "message of anger and disappointment" over the block, which he said violated one's freedom of speech.

Previously at 9am | Muda slams J-Kom DG over govt's 'frontline fighter' remarks

SNAPSHOT | Subang, PJ constituents can still apply for funds: Fahmi; EC to meet on Johor polls June 12

COMMENT | Constituency funds musn't be restricted, GLC posts not political rewards

Klang MP calls for constituency funding reforms, equal allocations

Axed Amanah leader finds new home in 'mature' Umno, jabs Harapan 'amateurs'

The ex-Umno bigwigs staying out of 'Rumah Bangsa'

'Return home,' Umno tells Johor Bersatu members after 11 divisions dissolved

Umno 'big home' for Malays, Zahid moots 'unification' committee