Rulers have spoken

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

Key Highlights

• Rulers have spoken
  
  

• Recovery plan panned
  
  

• Sardine and chicken
  
  

Rulers have spoken

The Conference of Rulers took a firm stand on ending the state of emergency by August despite the government’s veiled efforts to discourage yesterday’s outcome.

The rulers do not want the emergency to be extended, citing the need to curb the perception that there was an abuse of power.

Separately, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, called for Parliament to reconvene as soon as possible.

The opposition could challenge Perikatan Nasional's majority when Parliament reconvenes.

Umno is divided on this matter, with certain factions already acting as an 'opposition' within the government.

Umno supreme council member Johari Abdul Ghani called for a temporary government to take over but Umno’s Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein warned the opposition against rocking the boat.

Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun, a reliable ally of the government, could block any no-confidence vote.

However, any delaying tactic will only last until October or November, when the government has to seek Parliament’s approval for Budget 2022, which can also act as a proxy confidence vote.

HIGHLIGHTS

	Bersih proposes confidence and supply deal It wants govt and opposition to cooperate.
	Anwar warns case numbers not reflecting real Covid-19 situation He points out positivity rate is high.
	Ku Li urges rulers to seek out a leader to lead in crisis He does not favour a parliamentary solution.

Recovery plan panned

The government’s Covid-19 recovery plan courted brickbats from the business community and medical experts.

The EU-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Eurocham), which is normally diplomatic in its wording, said the plan "fell short" and cautioned that Malaysia’s business reputation was “in decline”.

The National Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia also called for clarity, adding that businesses are already stressed out and more confusion was unacceptable.

Federation of Islamic Medical Associations advisory council chairperson Dr Musa Mohd Nordin said the plan, which outlined a timeline to ease restrictions, was not based on “good science” and warned of a new Covid-19 wave.

However, the recovery plan found support from government-linked companies, which called it a step in the right direction.

HIGHLIGHTS

	'National Recovery Plan just a rebrand of MCO' Harapan Youth says there is no added value.
	Authorities to address hike in vegetable prices The hike is due to the EMCO in Cameron Highlands.
	Govt looking at how to provide additional assistance Minister says RM200bil spent to date.

Sardine and chicken

Efforts to provide low-income families with mobile devices for internet access during the Covid-19 pandemic have led to political gaffe and controversies.

A nine-year-old boy who received a subsidised smartphone under the government’s Jaringan Prihatin programme had a rude shock when it combusted.

YTL, which supplied the mobile phone, promised a thorough investigation.

Free devices from the same firm were also offered in a separate programme under the Perak government.

Addressing complaints that the mobile phones were sluggish, Perak Menteri Besar Saarani Mohamad said people shouldn’t ask for chickens when offered sardines during hard times, spawning internet memes.

HIGHLIGHTS

	Record 215,876 vaccine doses administered in a day Govt banking on vaccination to control Covid-19.
	Rise in Covid-19 deaths in K'tan may be due to Beta variant It was found in several Covid-19 clusters.
	RON97 up 2 sen, RON95 and diesel unchanged RON97 is at RM2.67 per litre until June 23.

A daily glance at Covid-19

• 5,150 new cases yesterday (June 16).
  
  
• Active cases continued to decline and dipped under 70,000 for the first time since the resurgence that began in mid-April.
  
  
• However, the number of Covid-19 patients in the intensive care unit is still creeping up. It was 924 yesterday, an all-time high. The Health Ministry attributed this to the prevalence of new Covid-19 variants that are causing more severe symptoms.
  
  
• For trends on daily cases, tests, hospital beds capacity, vaccination progress and more, follow our Covid-19 tracker.
  
  

What else is happening?

• Civil servants have been directed to use "Mahiaddin Yasin" for the prime minister's name instead of "Muhyiddin Yassin" following advice from the Attorney-General's Chambers.
  
  
• Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said China has agreed to donate 500,000 doses of Sinovac's Covid-19 vaccine to Malaysia.
  
  
• The Court of Appeal will hear ex-prime minister Najib Abdul Razak's appeal against his RM1.69 billion tax bill, which could bankrupt him, on Aug 11.
  
  
• Higher Education Minister Noraini Ahmad ticked off Universiti Malaya for barring a medical student who did not want to be vaccinated from taking her clinical exam.
  
  
• DAP's national congress will be postponed until after the total lockdown while PKR's annual general assembly will proceed online on June 20.
  
  
  

HIGHLIGHTS

	Wan Saiful: Govt 'saved' more than 8,000 people He said the pandemic could have been worse.
	Court quashes misadventure ruling in Nora Anne's death It reinstated an open verdict.
	Rosmah's bid to nullify graft trial postponed to July 12 This is due to the ongoing MCO.

What are people saying?

	How long can any new government last? By Wong Chin Huat
	Instant citizenship vs going by the book By R Nadeswaran
	Mahathir's Mageran Dream: Why 2021 is not 1969 By James Chai

KINI LENS