Good morning, here's a big picture of key developments over the weekend.


Key Highlights

  • Umno to quit

  • PM ready to fight Umno

  • Undi18 protest



Umno to quit

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi came out of his party's annual general assembly (AGM) on a stronger footing with a mandate for Umno leaders to quit the PN government.

Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Umno’s most senior leader in government, said he will comply when Zahid pulls the trigger.

Umno tentatively plans to quit in August, when the emergency expires.

Pro-PN leaders in Umno who tried to resist Zahid’s agenda, such as Federal Territories Minister Annuar Musa, were slammed and demonised.

Zahid got the anti-Bersatu and anti-PN narrative he wanted with a hail of attacks on them amid complaints he suppressed dissenting views.

Zahid scored a win, but there are still many to come, including the question of Umno’s prime ministerial candidate.



HIGHLIGHTS

Zahid warns Umno dissidents to toe the line
Defiance will be punished.
Annuar: Zahid's resignation challenge is inappropriate
In a veiled swipe, Zahid called Annuar a 'parasite'.
Pahang MB claims Bersatu trying to lure Umno MP
'Cameron Highlands MP being targeted'.

 



PM ready to fight Umno

The sound and fury at the Umno AGM were also closely watched by outsiders as it would define Umno’s future relationship with Bersatu and even PKR.

Amid the Bersatu bashing, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said his party is ready to take on Umno in all GE15 seats.

The Umno AGM’s tone towards PAS was that of regret and hope. Regretful that PAS is backing Bersatu but hopeful the Islamist party will come around.

PAS wasn’t impressed though, with its secretary-general melodramatically lamenting about losing a loved one.

As for PKR, Zahid again refused to take any risk to further the relationship with grassroots that are not receptive to the idea, despite backchannel discussions.

PKR was hardly discussed. Instead, Zahid appended his opponent’s “No Anwar, No DAP” slogan to “No Bersatu, No Anwar, No DAP”.



HIGHLIGHTS

Umno vows to retake seats lost to defected MPs
The seats of those who defected to Bersatu.
Ex-Tganu MB wants Umno vs PAS contests
He calls it a friendly match.
PAS Youth: Betrayal started with certain Umno leaders
He claimed some had supported Anwar.

 



Undi18 protest

Youth activists took to the streets over the weekend to protest Putrajaya’s move to postpone the lowering of the voting age from 21 to 18.

Police say organisers and participants will be probed for defying rules to control the Covid-19 pandemic.

Umno Youth suggested Putrajaya’s postponement was due to political reasons but Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin argues differently.

Muhyiddin said PN was not afraid of youths and maintained the decision was based on practical reasons.

The postponement means those 18 to 20-year-olds are unlikely to vote in GE15. which is expected to be called in August.



HIGHLIGHTS

Muda refutes 'propaganda' to justify Undi18 delay
States being the stumbling block is untrue, says it's veep.
Johari ridicules Azmin's 'selective' FDI claims
'Why aren't Tesla, Amazon, Apple coming?'
Umno pledges to amend the Constitution on syariah
This is if Umno wins two-thirds majority.

 


A daily glance at Covid-19

  • 1,302 new cases and four deaths yesterday (March 28).

  • Sarawak topped the chart with 426 cases, a new record for the state.

  • The infectivity rate hit a high of 1.0 but improved to 0.92 as of last Saturday. A value higher than 1.0 will lead to exponential growth in new cases.

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


What else is happening?

  • Police said the assassination plot against previous government leaders was a "desire" by suspected terrorists but added that there wasn't a real plan for execution.

  • Sabah-based Warisan is planning its expansion to Peninsular Malaysia.

  • The government is studying whether to allow interstate travel for Hari Raya but the announcement courted criticism for contradicting the Health Ministry's messaging.

  • Tycoon Vincent Tan is stepping back from his business empire and plans to donate half of his wealth.

  • A woman delivering milk alleged sexual harassment after a cop asked if she "produced" the milk herself but police said it was a misunderstanding.

HIGHLIGHTS

Pilot missed dad's funeral, no 'Santhara' treatment
His appeal to the Health Ministry was not accepted.
Cops to probe Neelofa's marriage solemnisation
Over alleged violation of rules against Covid-19.
Critics never had to deal with a pandemic - minister
No one had experience with something like this.

 


What are people saying?

The Umno-PKR partnership
By Nathaniel Tan
A quick two-day history lesson on Mahathir
By Francis Paul Siah
The permutations for GE15 get even weirder
By Malaysiakini readers

 


CARTOON KINI