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


Key Highlights

  • Four helicopter crashes

  • Zahid plays it safe

  • Vaccine milestone



Four helicopter crashes

The Sungai Besi-Ulu Kelang Expressway (Suke) isn’t the only one plagued by accidents.

A helicopter ferrying five men crashed at Subang airport yesterday, the fourth in five months.

They survived but some victims in previous incidents didn’t.

In the last five years, helicopter crashes also claimed the lives of the late Rompin MP Jamaluddin Jarjis in 2015 and another two MPs in 2016.

Meanwhile, the decomposing body of a victim trapped by a collapsed crane at the Suke site was finally extricated, after 42 hours.



HIGHLIGHTS

CIDB clears Suke in March 3 incident, probing latest one
March 3 incident triggered by lorry crash.
Anwar pans Azmin's attitude on FDI flight
He says there's a disconnect with the people.
Lawyer files complaint over Goldman settlement 'kickbacks'
Rosli Dahlan alleges criminal defamation.

 



Zahid’s play it safe

Ahead of the Umno AGM this weekend, Zahid dismissed he was in talks with PKR.

But when asked if any representatives were doing so, he didn’t deny but said none were officially authorised.

His downplaying of the talks amid discontent in the anti-PKR faction comes at a sensitive time for the party.

Meanwhile, PKR veep Chang Lih Kang reaffirmed that his party was in “initial talks” with Umno.

He said they could potentially take many shapes - a formal coalition, electoral pact or other forms of cooperation.


HIGHLIGHTS

Umno unlikely to rebound with PKR
Umno lacks resources if not in govt.
Kit Siang: Convene Parliament, no PM ouster
Focus will be on Covid-19.
Mukhriz: Don't point finger at Dr M
He says PKR is not blameless.

 



Vaccine milestone

A total of 481,989 people have received Covid-19 vaccines, approaching Putrajaya’s target of immunising 500,000 people by April.

We’ll then move into Phase 2 - To vaccinate 9.4 million of the old, sick and differently-abled people.

As we’re about to ramp up, more vaccines variants will be arriving soon and attention turns to AstraZeneca, which has been plagued with problems in Europe.

Health Minister Dr Adham Baba affirmed the safety of AstraZeneca’s vaccine, stating that the firm had briefed Malaysian regulators.

Several European countries lifted the suspension on AstraZeneca but are still monitoring closely as rare incidents of blood clot among younger people could not be definitively ruled out yet.

The rollout of the Pfizer-BioNTtech and Sinovac vaccines in Malaysia has not seen major problems.



HIGHLIGHTS

HK halts Pfizer vaccines
It is investigating defective packaging.
Kelantan school closed after 11 down with Covid-19
A teacher was believed to be infected at a wedding.
K'tan Umno gives ultimatum to PAS
'Choose Umno or Bersatu'.

 


A daily glance at Covid-19

  • 1,268 new cases and six deaths yesterday (March 24).

  • Patients in the intensive care unit climbed above 160 cases for the first time in 11 days.

  • Active cases rose for the second day to 14,637. They've been fluctuating for a week as the situation appeared stagnant after strong improvements in earlier weeks.

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


What else is happening?

  • Deputy minister Edmund Santhara Kumar is back in the country after receiving flak for extended leave in New Zealand amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

  • Police probe into several of their own officers for allegedly letting off Macau scam suspects is nearing completion.

  • Wiped out from its base of Penang while under BN, Gerakan hopes its association with PN can revive its fortunes in the state.

  • TNB chairperson Mahdzir Khalid said the firm will engage with stakeholders over the planned Nenggiri Dam amid fears by the Orang Asli community that it will wipe out their way of life.

  • RON97 is up three sen to RM2.50 today. RON95 and diesel prices are unchanged at RM2.05 and RM2.15 respectively.


HIGHLIGHTS

Miri MP to represent PKR in S’wak Harapan
This is after two successive PKR chiefs defected.
'MACC must get in on police cartel claim'
'It cannot stand by and do nothing'.
Police not tool of any party - IGP
He says cops not pressured.



What are people saying?

Mismatch between wages and cost of living
By Sofea Azahar
Electoral redelineation must not be based on race, religion
By Tindak Malaysia
Limestone caves: Are we destructive barbarians?
By Andrew Sia

 


CARTOON KINI