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

Key Highlights

  • Parliament sitting delayed

  • Pressure on S'gor continues

  • Snatched Paralympic gold



Parliament sitting delayed

The Parliament sitting has been delayed by one week.

The House was supposed to convene on Sept 6, but will now meet on Sept 13 instead.

This session will also be extended by two days.

It is unclear what caused the delay, but Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob is currently under home quarantine after coming into close contact with a Covid-19 patient.

There are expectations that reforms may be introduced in the forthcoming session after Ismail and Pakatan Harapan leaders released a joint statement vowing to strengthen Parliament.

HIGHLIGHTS

MPs moot longer Parliament sittings
This is amid talks of bipartisan reforms.
Stop debate on the name of govt - Annuar
Umno wants to stop using PN's name.
Bangi MP announces 10-point action list
He plans to achieve this by the year-end.

 



Pressure on S'gor govt continues

Pressure is piling on the Selangor state government for its move to partially degazette the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve for development.

PKR president Anwar Ibrahim has summoned Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari to explain the move, which is hugely unpopular on both sides of the floor.

Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan has mooted a possible rescue of the forest reserve by the federal government as an "aggressive last resort".

Putrajaya can move to take over state land, through Article 83 of the Federal Constitution, which would require a payout to the state.

HIGHLIGHTS

S'gor urged to reverse de-gazettement
DAP reps want Kuala Langat reserve preserved.
PKR reps oppose S'gor forest de-gazettement
'There is enough land for development.'
Eco groups condemn de-gazettement
They also note a lack of transparency.

 



Snatched Paralympic gold

Paralympian Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli broke two world records in the men's shot put F20 competition in Tokyo yesterday

He should have won gold but his victory on Merdeka Day was snatched away after a protest launched by the Ukraine team.

Ziyad was disqualified on a technicality - for being late to enter the roll-call area.

The protest resulted in Ukraine winning gold and silver.

Malaysia has launched a counter-protest, together with Australia and Ecuador, whose athletes were also disqualified.

Previously national swimmer Muhammad Nur Syaiful Zulkafli had been disqualified twice - from the men's 100m breaststroke and 200m freestyle - on technicalities.

HIGHLIGHTS

National integration the key - Agong
This includes the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.
There is still hope for M'sia - Chong Wei
'Don't just criticise, try to fix things.'
'I am Malaysia' - series debuts
Nine prominent M'sians share their stories.

 


A daily glance at Covid-19

  • 20,897 new cases of Covid-19 yesterday (Aug 31).

  • The Klang Valley's numbers continued on a downtrend, which could indicate a recovery.

  • However, the situation in other states continued to worsen, with Kelantan hitting a new record high.

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


What else is happening?

  • The family of a senior citizen who died on the floor of a Covid-19 ward in a Kedah hospital wants police to investigate the incident after allegations that the man was left unattended for 40 minutes before he died.

  • The police have reclassified the assault case of a security guard as murder, following his death.

  • Young musicians collaborated to release the album "Kawtim Compilation Against Brutality and Misconduct" to raise awareness of police misconduct.

HIGHLIGHTS

463 S'gor areas face water disruption
Odour pollution shuts down the Semenyih plant.
Covid-19: Unvaccinated hospital guard infected
But contractor says all Sungai Buloh Hospital guards are vaccinated.
SOS: 14 kids at care home infected with Covid-19
The children are under quarantine.

 


What are people saying?

Merdeka: Long journey still ahead for M'sia
By Maria Chin Abdullah.
A sombre Merdeka Day
By Syahredzan Johan.
What's next for parliamentary reforms?
By Wilfred Madius Tangau.

 


CARTOON KINI