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

Key Highlights

• PM showdown in September
  
  
• Another Umno appointee quits
  
  
• Record Covid-19 deaths
  
  

PM showdown in September

The stage has been set for a showdown that will determine whether or not Muhyiddin Yassin gets to continue his term as prime minister.

Muhyiddin - who claims to still have a majority in the Dewan Rakyat - said he has received royal assent to prove this via a vote of confidence in September.

He also insinuated that Umno leaders withdrawing support from him were not happy with him for refusing to free those being charged for criminal acts.

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi retorted by submitting more names of defectors to the king, but he did not disclose how many.

The opposition, meanwhile, questioned why Muhyiddin was dragging the vote to September instead of doing it as soon as possible.

HIGHLIGHTS

	Najib: Muhyiddin betrayed 3 PMs and King He says this PM is not trustworthy.
	Every opposition party says 'no' to Muhyiddin This makes PM's claim of majority support less likely.
	'Convene Parliament now' The opposition puts up a united front.

Another Umno appointee quits

As Muhyiddin fights to keep the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government intact, another political appointee from Umno is quitting his post.

Umno vice-president Khaled Nordin sent in his resignation as chairperson of Boustead Holdings, effective today.

Penegerang MP Azalina Othman Said is also reportedly set to resign as Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker over frustrations that PN had hamstrung the Parliament.

Tenaga Nasional chairperson Mahdzir Khalid, meanwhile, denied speculation that he was being tapped to be the new energy and natural resources minister to replace Shamsul Anuar Nasarah, who quit the cabinet on Tuesday as a show of no confidence in Muhyiddin.

HIGHLIGHTS

	Umno Youth moots 'war cabinet' They want a political ceasefire until GE15.
	PAS backs Muhyiddin Party committed to realising NRP.
	Kedah govt unaffected by Umno pullout The state government still has a majority

Record Covid-19 deaths

While the politicians continue to squabble, Covid-19 yesterday claimed the lives of 257 people, the highest on record thus far.

Of these deaths, 21 died before they could be brought to a hospital, while 51 had no history of chronic illness.

There is no indication that the mortality rate will ease anytime soon.

A total of 4,014 people died from Covid-19 in July, compared with 2,374 in June. The death toll in Malaysia will cross the 10,000 mark either today or tomorrow. 

HIGHLIGHTS

	Man goes on hunger strike to demand change He wants experts in charge of Covid-19 response.
	PSM tells govt to fix Covid-19 mess This amid horse-trading to secure a majority.
	Zafrul implores opposition to help pass NRP After Pejuang rebuffed the minister.

A daily glance at Covid-19

• 19,819 new cases yesterday (Aug 4).
  
  
• New record cases in Kelantan (1,003) and Penang (867) for the second day in a row.
  
  
• The death toll is now at 9,855.
  
  
• For trends on daily cases, tests, hospital beds capacity, vaccination progress and more, follow our Covid-19 tracker.
  
  

What else is happening?

• A teacher is demanding RM1 million in compensation from Form 5 student Ain Husniza Saiful Nizam for purportedly defaming him by alleging that he had made lewd jokes in class.
  
  
• Sekretariat Solidariti Rakyat has condemned what it called "unethical intimidation" by the police after officers visited the homes of several activists involved in Saturday’s #Lawan protest.
  
  
• Six opposition MPs were questioned over their attempts to march to Parliament on Monday.
  
  
• Veteran's group Patriot wants police to investigate Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin over her comments about the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
  
  

HIGHLIGHTS

	Accident kills student searching for internet A vehicle crashed into the motorbike she was on.
	Klang hospital denies patients sat on the floor 'Patients will sit on chairs, wheelchairs.'
	No proof Narathiwat attack originated from M’sia Police say the Thais presented no evidence.

What are people saying?

	Resolving Malaysia's never-ending political crisis By Tommy Thomas
	States need to prepare for impending Delta surge By Dr Amar Singh HSS
	Youths gave us Olympic medal, we gave them the worst M'sia By James Chai