KINI SNAPSHOT | What’s going on in the news today.

2pm

Politics

  • Lee Chean Chung’s resignation as Petaling Jaya MP will not disrupt services to residents in the constituency, said PKR information chief Fahmi Fadzil.

    The communications minister said he respected Lee’s (below) decision and wished him well.

    “We respect his decision. I wish him all the best,” Fahmi said after attending a Madani community programme in Shah Alam today, Malaysia Gazette reported.

    According to Fahmi, state assemblypersons, the PKR division chief, local councillors and the Implementation Coordination Unit under the Prime Minister’s Department would help coordinate services for residents.

    He said the priority now was to ensure that the interests and welfare of Petaling Jaya residents continued to be looked after despite the vacancy.

READ MORE: Lee quits as Petaling Jaya MP, cites governance concerns

  • The resignation of four PKR MPs has raised questions over the party’s leadership, said Umno supreme council member Razlan Rafii.

    In a statement today, Razlan (above) said the resignations were significant as they involved lawmakers from a party leading the federal government.

    “The party leadership must explain what is really happening,” he said, referring to the resignations of Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli, Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Subang MP Wong Chen and, most recently, Lee.

    He also called for the government to return the mandate to voters as the current parliamentary term approaches its fourth year.

Media

  • Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil urged the public to channel complaints about media reporting ethics to the Malaysian Media Council.

    He said using the proper channels would help avoid misunderstandings and actions that could undermine the media industry’s integrity and credibility.

    “If it concerns reporting by the media itself, I would suggest that members of the public who have concerns about a news headline or anything they wish to raise with the media, use the official complaints channel through the media council,” he was quoted as saying by Bernama after officiating a community programme in Kota Anggerik, Shah Alam, today.

    His remarks came a day after the Putrajaya Media Club lodged reports with police and the MCMC over a social media post that manipulated images of media personnel to depict them as animals.

    The original image was of a group of photographers and journalists covering former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s visit to his wife’ grave, Dr Hasmah Ali, at Pusara Negara, Putrajaya, on Thursday.

Army

  • The army has confirmed that all firearms and ammunition in its armouries are fully accounted for following the arrest of an army officer at a public university on Sept 28.

    In a statement today, the Army Headquarters’ Strategic Communications Branch said immediate inspections were carried out at all armouries and storage facilities after it was informed of the incident.

    The officer was detained by the police after allegedly being found in possession of a firearm, ammunition and a liquid suspected to be a prohibited substance.

    The army said an initial urine screening on the officer tested positive for Mitragynine - the main psychoactive compound found in ketum, or kratom - but stressed that the result remained subject to laboratory confirmation and the outcome of the authorities’ investigation.

    “The army views any matter involving military personnel and officers seriously, particularly those concerning discipline, security and compliance with regulations,” it said.

Previously at 11am | Focus on constituents, PJ PKR says following MP's resignation; respect Dr M family's privacy - Fahmi