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Key Highlights

  • Umno showdown?

  • Gerrymandering

  • Banned words



Umno showdown?

The Umno AGM this weekend will be an opportunity for dissenters to voice displeasure against party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is steering Umno away from PN and Bersatu.

But the power of incumbency is great. It won’t be the first time the Umno president controls the narrative by filtering speakers and censoring speeches.

In 2015, then Umno president Najib Abdul Razak blocked Muhyiddin Yassin from speaking amid the 1MDB scandal, even though it is tradition for the Umno deputy president to deliver a speech.

Speakers were also carefully picked to create the narrative that Muhyiddin’s supporters have abandoned him in favour of Najib.

The only feeble attempt at dissent were pro-Muhyiddin pamphlets being circulated. This weekend, eyes will be on Zahid’s opponents if they can do better.

The alternative for dissent is the Umno election in June, if it is not postponed.



HIGHLIGHTS

'Has Zahid a secret weapon?'
Umno man wants to know.
Titi Serong rep booted from Bersatu
This is for backing the ouster of the ex-Perak MB.
Amanah rep denies molest allegations
He leaves the matter to the cops.

  



Gerrymandering

PAS wants to win a two-thirds majority in GE15 with Bersatu and Umno so that it can redraw electoral boundaries to “benefit Muslims”.

There’s a simple word for that - gerrymandering.

In 1999, then prime minister Dr Mahathir did the reverse by turning Malay seats into mixed seats to counter a revolt among Malay voters due to the Reformasi movement.

Ex-prime minister Najib Abdul Razak tried his own gerrymandering in 2018 but the wave of dissent drowned him anyway.

Politicians have shown a track record of altering borders for their own interests, that’s why the Electoral Reform Committee (ERC) proposed boundary commissions.

However, the ERC’s report, along with proposals of structural reforms, have been relegated to a bookshelf following a change in government.



HIGHLIGHTS

IGP rules out RCI, says cartel under control
IGP says he will deal with it.
Confidence in cops will suffer without RCI -Guan Eng
This over claims of a cartel within the police force.
Tamrin eggs on Dr M, PM for debate
Neither has been receptive.

 



Banned words

The Selangor sultan became the second monarch after Johor to call for intervention in the ruling of the High Court in Kuala Lumpur allowing non-Muslims to use the word “Allah”. The ruler made a similar decree in 2013.

For record, the Selangor Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Amongst Muslims) 1988 Enactment already bans various words from being used in the context of non-Muslim religions.

They include words like Allah, Ulama, Ibadah, Kadi, Syariah, Mufti, Rasul, Iman, Injil and Nabi. The full list is here.

In contrast, the federal government's 10-point solution in 2011 allows the use of the word "Allah" for the Bible in West Malaysia if it is stamped as a "Christian publication". There are no restrictions for East Malaysia.

The different positions taken by states and the federal government remain unresolved for more than 10 years since a similar court ruling was made in 2009. That ruling was later overturned.



HIGHLIGHTS

'Covid-19 vaccination permissible during Ramadan'
Views sought from the grand mufti of Saudi Arabia.
M'sia, S'pore working on vaccine certificates
This will facilitate cross-border travels.
Mokhzani is new Maxis chairperson
The appointment will be effective April 22.



A daily glance at Covid-19

  • 1,384 new cases and six deaths yesterday (March 23).

  • States with an upward trajectory of new cases in the last 28 days are Kedah, Labuan, Malacca, Pahang, Penang and Terengganu. The rest are on a downtrend.

  • Even though Selangor is on a downtrend due to a high base, the bulk of new cases are still from the state. It made up 45.16 percent of fresh infections yesterday.

  • For trends on daily cases, tests, hospital beds capacity, vaccination progress and more, follow our Covid-19 tracker.


What else is happening?

  • The body of a third victim remained trapped more than a day after a mishap at the Suke highway crushed a car, leaving three dead. Roads near the area will now be closed but some MPs want the project suspended for a review.

  • Kelantan Deputy Menteri Besar Mohd Amar Abdullah claimed the Orang Asli community was playing politics after they complained a dam project will submerge their history and way of life.

  • Fitch Solutions, the sister arm of Fitch Ratings, said the Malaysian ringgit is suffering due to political instability.


HIGHLIGHTS

Court upholds jail for ex-ministry sec-gen
The sentence also upheld for his son.
Three remanded over RM9m face mask project
Bribes were allegedly paid.
‘Datuk Seri’ claims trial to soliciting RM300k bribe
This was to secure the release of Chinese nationals.

 


What are people saying?

The homeless should get early Covid-19 vaccination
By Juliyus Allen
Does World Bank report tell us what we need to do?
By Shankaran Nambiar
Lessons not learnt: How much are lives worth?
By Malaysiakini readers

 


CARTOON KINI