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

Key Highlights

• Lobbying for ministerial posts
  
  

• Harapan's direction
  
  

• Deputy speaker resigns
  
  

Lobbying for ministerial posts

With the appointment of a new prime minister now out of the way, the next step is for Ismail Sabri Yaakob to appoint his ministers.

Various versions of the cabinet list have circulated on social media but Ismail Sabri said they were fake as he had yet to make a decision. He assured a cabinet will be formed within this week.

Ahead of Ismail Sabri's decision, lobbying intensified with GPS proposing a second deputy prime minister position reserved for the Sarawak-based coalition.

The GPS, with 18 MPs, has proven itself to be a reliable ally to both BN and Perikatan Nasional (PN), playing the critical role of a kingmaker.

Meanwhile, Umno Youth pushed the party's deputy president Mohamad Hasan as the new finance minister.

However, PSM expressed concern that this may be intended to secure positions in key government-linked companies under the purview of the Finance Ministry.

The lobbying won't guarantee positions but there is one certainty - no opposition MPs will be roped into the cabinet after Ismail Sabri ruled out a unity government.

HIGHLIGHTS

	Muda hopes new PM's offer won't be like Muhyiddin's Muhyiddin's emergency panel had no serious role.
	Ramasamy: PM's offer likely to be PR exercise The DAP leader is not optimistic.
	S'gor sultan disappointed by political turmoil He reminds state reps to learn from history.

Harapan's direction

The Pakatan Harapan presidential council, in its first statement after Ismail Sabri became prime minister, appeared to have given up hope of regaining power before the 15th general election.

Unlike the disputed appointment of Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister last year, Harapan acknowledged that Ismail Sabri's appointment was in accordance with the Federal Constitution.

Harapan repeated its mantra of uniting the opposition for the next general election, but interestingly, added that it must take priority over political manoeuvrings which have been exploited by certain parties to grab power.

It appeared to be an acknowledgement of Harapan's failed engagement with certain Umno MPs that ended up helping to put Umno back in power with the opposition coalition left out in the cold.

PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli suggested that Harapan needed to do more groundwork to reach out to rural voters instead of just raising issues in Parliament.

HIGHLIGHTS

	Pejuang eyes up to 120 MP seats in GE15 Party to field Malay candidates.
	Reps must adopt more mature politics: Pahang regent 'Don't burden people with endless political crisis'.
	'Vaccine shortage ‘unacceptable’ as Johor cases soaring' Kulai MP says Pikas PPV stopped administering 1st doses.

Deputy speaker resigns

Umno's Pengerang MP Azalina Othman Said resigned as the Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker.

Azalina cited conflict of interest and expressed hope that her resignation will help "reset" Parliament.

It is unclear if she will be appointed as a minister in Ismail Sabri's cabinet. She served as the de facto law minister between 2016 and 2018.

During that time, the Anti-Fake News Act, which was widely criticised as being draconian, was introduced but later repealed during Harapan's brief time in power.

After Azalina became the deputy speaker last year, she spoke extensively about law reform, including breaking up the concentration of power in the Attorney-General's Chambers.

Azalina, in her resignation message, promised to support any bipartisan reform efforts.

HIGHLIGHTS

	S'gor Sultan urges MACC to probe graft cases thoroughly He says corruption has no place in society.
	Lawyers, vigil participants called up for questioning This was after they lodged reports against cops.
	Cops' response to #Lawan crossed the line - Suhakam 'Respect the right to assemble peacefully.'

 

A daily glance at Covid-19

• 17,672 new cases yesterday (Aug 23).
  
  
• The reduced number was partly because of lower testing over the weekend. The 118,158 tests reported yesterday was the lowest in 21 days. The average in the past week was 151,661 tests.
  
  
• There could also be a significant underreporting of cases in Selangor yesterday. For example, the state only registered seven Covid-19 deaths, a steep decline compared to the 86 average daily deaths it reported in the past week.
  
  
• For trends on daily cases, tests, hospital bed capacity, vaccination progress and more, follow our Covid-19 tracker.
  
  

What else is happening?

• Participants of a candlelight vigil for the Covid-19 dead which was met with a police crackdown are now seeking public help after cops also slapped them with RM62,000 in fines.
  
  
• The Johor sultan said teachers should set a good example and protect their students after more than 700 teachers in the state refused the Covid-19 vaccine.
  
  
• The army said Covid-19 vaccination is compulsory for soldiers and refusal of the order will lead to disciplinary action. This was after a sergeant was sacked for insubordination after he refused the vaccine.
  
  
  

HIGHLIGHTS

	DAP, GPS leaders fume over Rajang River logjam They recall the previous clogging in 2010.
	Mount Jerai mudflow: Govt channels RM75m in aid Families of deceased to get RM5k.
	Three Perak reps barred from assembly sitting One still has yet to be vaccinated.

What are people saying?

	Don't share racist and seditious content, report them By Mohideen Abdul Kader
	Covid-19: Letting the guard down By Colin Nicholas
	Political pandemic still viral By Thor Kah Hoong

CARTOON KINI