Good morning. Here's what you need to know today.

Key Highlights

  • New rules for ministers

  • Baling MP's brother

  • Access to education



New rules for ministers

Health Minister Adham Baba issued an order shortening the quarantine period for his fellow ministers from 10 to 3 days.

It coincided with Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s return from Indonesia and Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein’s trip to the United Arab Emirates.

The move will likely to fuel the perception of double standards which the government had been trying to fend off.

In November last year, the government came under fire after some MPs from Sabah were given early release from quarantine. The quarantine rule was lifted on the same day.



HIGHLIGHTS

Quarantine for ministers shortened
Reduced from 10 to 3 days.
Different strain of Covid-19 virus in S'wak
Some have origins in the UK.
Malacca sees high Covid-19 infectivity rate
There are 16 active clusters.

 



Baling MP's brother

The corruption charges against Abdul Latif Abdul Rahim were dropped in exchange for testifying against his own brother - Umno’s Baling MP Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim.

Previously, charges against ex-prime minister Najib Abdul Razak’s step-son Riza Aziz were dropped on grounds of a plea bargain.

 Charges against Putrajaya MP Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor were also dropped but he was convicted on a separate charge.

Ex-Sabah chief minister Musa Aman was previously also acquitted after the prosecution requested to withdraw his charges. He went on to engineer a coup in Sabah, triggering state polls which plunged the country into a new wave of Covid-19.

But Najib's 1MDB case steamed ahead during MCO as it was considered public interest.

Najib’s supporter Ramesh Rao will also be charged for falsely claiming the judge who convicted Najib in a separate case was ex-prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s grandnephew.



HIGHLIGHTS

Ex-CEO: Jho Low 'runs' 1MDB
Staff told to abide or quit.
DOJ to seize RM1.34b in '1MDB-linked funds'
It is targeting a UK law firm.
RM67.9m tax suit against Jho Low's associate
Tan Kim Loong is on the run.

 




Access to education

As schools turn to online classes during MCO, the spotlight fell on the government’s Budget 2021 announcement to provide 150,000 laptops to students.

It was revealed that the laptops won’t be given for free but on a loan, prompting complaints that the government was not upfront during the budget.

Prior to the programme, some MPs have raised their own funds to help provide laptops to needy students for online learning.

But the problem was aggravated by skyrocketing laptop prices due to high demand during the MCO.

Prominent figures, such as former national shuttler Lee Chong Wei, have helped out.



HIGHLIGHTS

Student laptop scheme turns out to be a loan
MP asked why this was not revealed in Parliament.
'M'sia-Indonesia travel bubble will help businesses'
It's for business travellers.
Ex-AG promises to cooperate
This is over defamation suits and sedition probes.

 


A daily glance at Covid-19

  • 3,100 new cases yesterday (Feb 8).

  • Daily deaths reach a record high of 24.

  • Active cases continued to climb to a new high of 51,977.

  • Malaysiakini also compiles daily locations affected by Covid-19 so you can take precaution.


What else is happening?

  • Selangor backtracked from its plan to fine private hospitals for late reporting of Covid-19 cases after brickbats, promising engagement.

  • A Unicef report found that unemployment among the urban poor doubled since September.

  • Electoral reform group Bersih pushed for the Election Commission's functions to be broken up into three entities.


HIGHLIGHTS

More Covid-19 patients dying at home
Majority are above 40.
Nazir Razak joins PLS Plantations' board
He will be non-exec independent chair.
Nora Anne's family applies for revision
This is against the coroner's court decision.

 


What are people saying?

Tragi-comedy of book-banning in the 21st century
By Yeo Yang Poh
Democracy is dying all over Southeast Asia
By Martin Vengadesan
How can appeal to the king be a threat?
By Malaysiakini readers



KINI LENS