Good morning, here's what you need to know today.

Key Highlights

• The 'Allah' ruling
  
  
• Umno after GE15
  
  
• Police probes
  
  

The Allah ruling

The KL High Court ruled that the Home Ministry’s ban on non-Muslims from using the word “Allah” was invalid.

It was part of a 13-year saga that started with authorities confiscating Christian CDs belonging to a Melanau Christian from Sarawak, which referred to God as “Allah”.

If the ruling sounds familiar, that’s because the KL High Court in 2009 also declared invalid a ban preventing The Herald, a publication by the Catholic Church, from using the word “Allah”.

However, that ruling was later overturned. The latest ruling differs as it was less about publication and circulation but more on the right of Christian bumiputeras to practise their faith.

Putrajaya has often taken a West Malaysian perspective, arguing that the use of the word “Allah” by non-Muslims could confuse Muslims and threaten public order.

But it has had to reconcile with the fact that Christians in East Malaysia have used the word “Allah” for hundreds of years, where there is a large Malay-speaking Christian community.

HIGHLIGHTS

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	New national investment policy - Azmin It will attract quality and technological investments.

Umno after GE15

Pakatan Harapan, and in particular PKR, has been toying with the idea of working with Umno.

The idea may seem appealing, especially when veteran Umno leaders such as Tengku Razaleigh Tengku Hamzah suggested that an Umno-Harapan pact can win GE15.

But the proposal is also highly risky as Umno is also flirting with PAS.

After a meeting between Umno and PAS yesterday, they resolved not to clash during the GE15 although Umno could still clash with PAS’ Perikatan Nasional partner Bersatu.

Harapan will need to weigh the risk of helping Umno only to see an Umno-PAS government if Bersatu flops in GE15. 

HIGHLIGHTS

	Nurul Izzah vs Zuraida: Battle of giants? PKR moots battle of giants in Ampang.
	Zahid hits back at 'court cluster' label He says 'court cluster' is Umno's last line of defence.
	Khaled: People will decide Umno's fate, not PN This amid split in Umno on working with Bersatu.

Police probes

The authorities are on a roll despite concerns about regressing freedoms under the PN government.

Today, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng will be questioned by police over a Harapan statement criticising the emergency. PKR president Anwar Ibrahim was also questioned.

Meanwhile, graphic artist Fahmi Reza was investigated for criminal defamation over caricatures of Health Minister Dr Adham Baba.

Also, Tamrin Abdul Ghafar, the son of late deputy prime minister Abdul Ghafar Baba, is facing up to a year in prison for making unflattering comments about the Johor crown prince.

HIGHLIGHTS

	Minister's aide lodges report over MP-buying claim This is against an ex-Umno leader.
	Najib: Explain silence on sultan's solar project This is to avoid upsetting the Johor ruler.
	Cheras cops probing custodial death 54-year-old man found dead in a cell.

 

A daily glance at Covid-19

• 1,448 new cases and 5 deaths yesterday (March 10).
  
  
• Active cases declined for 14 consecutive days from 30,677 on Jan 24 to 18,010 yesterday.
  
  
• Selangor, the epicentre of the pandemic, maintained under 1,000 new daily cases for 18 consecutive days.
  
  
• For trends on daily cases, individuals tested, hospital bed capacity and more, follow our Covid-19 tracker.
  
  

What else is happening?

• Putrajaya returned 585 vials of Covid-19 vaccines that were damaged due to improper temperature storage while in transit.
  
  
• A candlelight vigil outside the Myanmar embassy in Kuala Lumpur was swiftly ordered to disperse by police.
  
  
• The price of RON95 and diesel will remain at RM2.05 and RM2.15 per litre respectively while RON97 will be up by five sen to RM2.40 per litre for March 11-17.
  
  
• Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin secured an additional 10,000 hajj quota following an official visit to Saudi Arabia.
  
  
  

HIGHLIGHTS

	Azmin tells PN parties to set aside personal interests He also brushes off tensions in PN.
	How one phone serves six family members One device for mom and five kids.
	Sg Buloh Hospital: Lessons from the frontline It is a leading hospital in Covid-19 fight.

What are people saying?

	No legal provisions to appeal RM10k MCO fine By Beruas MP Ngeh Koo Ham
	Challenging the media on gender portrayal By Awam
	Is the deputy minister back from NZ yet? By Malaysiakini readers

CARTOON KINI