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


Key Highlights

  • Religious propagation

  • Azmin wants to talk

  • Xavier keeps mum



Religious propagation

Putrajaya revealed it is planning to introduce a federal law to curb the spread of non-Muslim religions to Muslims.

For context, propagating other religions to Muslims is already an offence in nine states under state enactments introduced in the 1980s.

They provide up to one year imprisonment or a maximum fine of RM10,000 or both.

Only Sabah, Sarawak, Penang, Perlis and the Federal Territories do not have such laws.

Introducing an anti-propagation federal law will extend the ban in the Federal Territories. In other states, matters of religion is under state jurisdiction.

Accompanying the proposal is also amendments to Act 355, which PAS has long advocated to allow the partial implementation of hudud.



HIGHLIGHTS

Appeal filed against 'Allah' court ruling
Legal battle now in Court of Appeal.
Muftis to meet on 'Allah' solution
Law experts and Muslim NGOs will join.
"Rare earth mine will threaten Orang Asli"
Area is critical to wildlife and natives.

 



Azmin wants to talk

Umno and Bersatu can’t reconcile on who should contest in seats which Umno won in GE14 but later lost to Bersatu through defections.

Umno wants those seats back in GE15 and is prepared to clash with Bersatu.

If Bersatu concedes, it will need to drop the Umno defectors in GE15 or move them.

It's a raw deal that will deter future defections at a time when Bersatu needs more of them to consolidate power.

Now, Bersatu’s Azmin Ali, a key engineer of defections, wants to negotiate with Umno on the 13 disputed MP seats but Umno won't budget, for now.



HIGHLIGHTS

Azmin 'most wicked' politician - PKR man
Azmin engineered defections of 15 MPs.
DAP: Phantom voters claim baseless
This after ruckus at Perak DAP polls.
Umno-Bersatu ties: PAS sees hope
'They must negotiate a solution'.

 



Xavier keeps mum

There was a media frenzy at the Banting sports complex yesterday, which was one of the centres administering Covid-19 vaccine.

Reason: Hulu Langat MP Xavier Jayakumar was there to get his first dose of Covid-19 vaccine.

Real reason: Journalists wanted to know whether he really defected from PKR to support PN because of MACC pressure.

Xavier, however, was tight-lipped and merely asked the media to refer to his statement when he defected.

Umno questioned why Xavier would feel pressured if he was innocent. We’ll never know until Xavier sheds light.



HIGHLIGHTS

Police summon police for breaking the law
'The must obey the law like the public'
Dept denies event attended by minister violated MCO
The cycling event was not open to outsiders.
Umno argues RM114m not linked to 1MDB
Umno claiming funds seized from condos linked to ex-PM.

 


A daily glance at Covid-19

  • 1,208 new cases yesterday (March 15), a new low for this year.

  • Active cases down to 15,511, the lowest level since Dec 19 last year.

  • 83 people died in the first half of this month compared to 215 in the first 15 days of February. Three deaths yesterday.

  • For trends on daily cases, individuals tested, hospital bed capacity and more, follow our Covid-19 tracker.


What else is happening?

  • MIC denied that it is being enticed to ditched BN in favour of a new political alliance.

  • Umno and Pakatan Harapan parties formed legal teams to tackle the government's hefty RM10,000 fines on MCO violators.

  • The government acknowledged implementation problems with the blanket RM10,000 fine and will announce a solution soon.

  • Kelantan has the lowest rate of people registering for the Covid-19 vaccine, at only 11.8 percent.

  • Pulau Tioman will be put under lockdown from today onwards amid Covid-19 outbreaks.


HIGHLIGHTS

Duo suspected of shooting dog with arrows
Police arrested them.
Bangsar murder: Cop at crime scene not on duty
Officer accused of inaction.
NGO warns fake news ordinance may be abused
It could lead to arbitrary detention.

 


What are people saying?

Xavier is not a victim, he is a volunteer
By S Thayaparan
Cancer does not take a break
By Azrul Mohd Khalib
MCA, how many more chances do you need?
By Malaysiakini readers

 


CARTOON KINI