Cabbage and cabotage

Good morning, here's a quick rundown of what happened over the weekend.

Key Highlights

• Cabbage and cabotage
  
  

• The K-word
  
  

• New Malacca government?
  
  

Cabbage and sabotage

After almost a year, the tech giants' struggle against the cabotage policy which they say impedes the repair of undersea internet cables is no closer to a solution but has instead sparked a war of words between politicians.

Bersatu's Rais Hussin, who is also the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation chairperson, described Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong, who has adamantly defended the policy, as someone with the "IQ of a cabbage".

This prompted local shipping firms to come to Wee's defence.

The saga has become a lobbying battle between tech giants and local shipping firms. For now, the shipping firms have a powerful ally - the minister.

The tech giants, including Google, Facebook, Microsoft and Amazon, have appealed repeatedly to two prime ministers for almost a year but to no avail.

Critics say the cabotage policy, which requires special permission for foreign ships to engage in the repair of undersea internet cables, is causing tech giants to shun Malaysia as an investment destination.

Wee believes otherwise. Undersea cable repair ships were granted an exemption from the cabotage policy under the Pakatan Harapan government but Wee reversed the move, arguing that it was necessary to protect the local shipping industry.

HIGHLIGHTS

	Bank Negara suspends Ccris access to reporting firms It cites possible data leaks.
	Zafrul meets Harapan a second time on Budget 2022 They discussed Harapan's RM45b fiscal injection proposal.
	KINIGUIDE | Salak South temple 'conflict' explained The construction of a new govt school led to tensions.

The K-word

The Sudirman Cup, which saw Malaysia reaching the semi-finals, took a racial twist when a man used the K-word, deemed derogatory to Indians, to describe national shuttler S Kisona.

Borhanudin Che Rahim was upset that she had lost to Indonesia's Gregoria Mariska Tunjung in the semi-finals.

The racial slur sparked condemnations from the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) and Youth and Sports Minister Ahmad Faizal Azumu.

Ahmad Faizal, who is also the Bersatu deputy president, confirmed that Borhanudin had offered an apology and resignation as the Pasir Puteh Bersatu vice chief over the controversy.

HIGHLIGHTS

	PAS MP: Explain RM15m for Chinese private schools He wants govt to clarify in Parliament.
	Guan Eng pans 'dishonesty' on income gap in 12MP The govt has painted an 'inflated picture'.
	Minister clarifies bumi-only share sale He says it only applies to PNB, Mara and similar bodies.

New Malacca government?

Remember when former Malacca chief minister Idris Haron, who has largely been sidelined by Umno, warned that he could play kingmaker in the state?

He's now putting money where his mouth is by courting Pakatan Harapan on the possibility of forming a new government in Malacca.

Harapan convened a meeting on the offer but isn't ready to jump in as a number of their assemblypersons are doubtful about cooperating with Idris and his allies, who previously brought down the Harapan government.

The offer stems from a factional battle between Idris and Malacca Chief Minister Sulaiman Md Ali.

At present, the BN-PN state government and its allies have 17 assemblypersons while Harapan has 11.

Idris's group comprises five - two from Umno, two from Bersatu and one independent, a number that is enough to swing the balance of power.

Seeking to counter Idris, Umno vice-president Mahdzir Khalid suggested a similar confidence and supply deal signed between the government and opposition at the federal level.

Meanwhile, a clash between Perikatan Nasional and BN in the next general election, due in less than two years, appears increasingly likely.

PN chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin announced that the coalition has proceeded with electoral seat negotiations without BN as the latter has not indicated interest.

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi remained defiant, stressing that Umno won't yield any of the seats the party won in the last general election.

Umno is still bitter that the holders of at least 16 seats it won in GE14 had defected to Bersatu and the party isn't prepared to give the seats up.

HIGHLIGHTS

	Muhyiddin: Voters will decide whether Bersatu or Umno is better Bersatu will continue to provide the best service, says ex-PM.
	Bung: Sabah Umno ready to face Bersatu in GE15 He says Umno will defend all of its seats.
	Just rumours, says Zuraida on Azmin's 'new party' Speculations have been revived.

A daily glance at Covid-19

• 9,066 new cases yesterday (Oct 3), the first time they have dipped under 10,000 since July 12.
  
  
• The national infectivity rate continued to decline to 0.87. A sustained value of under 1.0 means fresh infections will be on the downtrend.
  
  
• Active cases declined significantly from 259,192 to 150,317 over 30 days, a 42 percent reduction. This has allowed several hospitals to shut their Covid-19 wards.
  
  
• Another 118 people died from Covid-19 yesterday, bringing the death toll to 26,683.
  
  

What else is happening?

• The government apologised over an incident where a 12-year-old was given a blank Covid-19 vaccine shot. The vaccine personnel was terminated and a new policy was imposed allowing parents to accompany their children during the shot.
  
  
• The Klang Valley will face water cuts from Oct 13 to 16 for planned upgrades and maintenance works to the Sungai Selangor Water Treatment Plan Phase 1.
  
  
• Amanah and DAP are all set on using the Harapan logo in GE15 but PKR is dithering. PKR president Anwar Ibrahim said the matter was still being discussed.
  
  
• Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob indicated that interstate travel will be allowed very soon while international travel could restart as soon as December.
  
  
• Umno's Machang MP Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub was appointed as the new Felcra chairperson.
  
  
  

HIGHLIGHTS

	Standing up to defend Penang’s fishing community Zakaria Ismail shares his struggle.
	Vaccination for Klang Valley adults via appointment only The new rule starts today.
	Caged lauds appointment of Azalina She will be PM's law and human rights adviser.

What are people saying?

	Nothing wrong with highly-paid minister, but... By Zan Azlee
	12MP equity distribution: Rhetoric vs reality By Terence Gomez
	The ‘first people’ of Peninsular Malaysia By Ranjit Singh Malhi

CARTOON KINI