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

Key Highlights

  • Sarawak polls leaves Undi18 grounded

  • Najib hits back at Dr M

  • Anwar to look into quit calls



Sarawak polls leaves Undi18 grounded

The Sarawak state election will be held on Dec 18, with nominations on Dec 6.

As predicted, 18-year-olds will not be able to vote in the state election as Undi18 is only set to be implemented in January.

Some 135,000 voters aged 18 to 20 will be disenfranchised by the move - which critics claims is why the Sarawak emergency was lifted early.

Just as concerning, however, are the price of flights.

Flights from Kuala Lumpur to Kuching and Miri around polling day have skyrocketed to over RM1,000 one way, with some return flights costing more than RM3,000.

Politicians have called on the government to enact price controls to keep flight tickets affordable for voters.

HIGHLIGHTS

GPS to name polls candidates on Dec 4
The lineup is being finalised.
States to allow 18-year-olds as polls candidates
All state constitutions will be amended for this.
Adly drops Malacca dissolution appeal
His lawyer confirms the matter.

 



Najib hits back at Dr M

Pekan MP Najib Abdul Razak has hit back at Dr Mahathir Mohamad over the latter's jabs on Najib's request for government housing.

Mahathir had said on Tuesday that Najib does not deserve housing, which has been valued at RM100 million, when Tunku Abdul Rahman only received a wooden house.

Mahathir has claimed that he himself had not requested, nor received, the housing privilege for former prime ministers - despite his cabinet having signed on this in 2003.

Najib, in turn, dredged up allegations that Mahathir had a favourable lease on a beachside property in Langkawi for just RM3,200 per year.

HIGHLIGHTS

Govt can give ex-PMs 'happy meal'  instead
Law doesn't mandate housing gifts.
'Why is tax dodger Najib free to travel?'
MP says he should be blacklisted.
Najib fails to delay SRC appeal verdict
The verdict will be delivered on Dec 8.

 



Anwar to look into quit calls

Embattled PKR president Anwar Ibrahim said he would look into calls for him to resign.

However, he said, the opinions from those calling for his resignation shouldn't be framed arrogantly.

While he took responsibility for Pakatan Harapan's defeat in Malacca, he said there were multiple factors at play that needed to be analysed.

Anwar also said the decision to field former Umno representatives Idris Haron and Nor Azman Hassan under Harapan was made by state leaders, and that the top leaders were persuaded after multiple meetings.

HIGHLIGHTS

'Stop police intimidation against Warisan MP'
Azis probed over parliamentary speech.
Nik Abduh talks up PAS-Umno ties
'Muafakat was best alliance.'
Defence: Zahid's shopping spree irrelevant to graft case
Lawyer claims it is prejudicial.

 


A daily glance at Covid-19

  • 5,755 new cases yesterday (Nov 24)

  • Hospital admissions in Penang, Pahang and Kelantan are on the rise.

  • Covid-19 bed utilisation in Kelantan and Terengganu are near 90 percent.

  • Malaysiakini takes a deep dive and analyses the 30,000 Covid-19 deaths in the country, which has the highest pandemic mortality rate in Southeast Asia.


What else is happening?

  • Bangi MP Ong Kian Ming has called for new models of bumiputera economic empowerment after visiting the "failed" Mara Digital Mall in Kuala Lumpur.

  • Everyone above the age of 18 is now eligible for Covid-19 booster shoots, and Sinovac recipients can choose which booster they want to get.

  • A 27-year-old lawyer is suing a Kuala Lumpur-based law firm and its senior partner over alleged sexual harassment.

HIGHLIGHTS

S'pore, M'sia to open land border on Nov 29
It's for vaccinated travellers only.
Appeal to quash emergency rejected
Court of Appeal made a unanimous ruling.
539k PTPTN borrowers never repaid loans
RM24.6 billion was provided to 2,424,009 borrowers.

 


What are people saying?

Five theories on PN's rise
By James Chai
Kit Siang, change of mindset also needed in DAP
By Martin Vengadesan
Should sin tax revenue be set aside for non-Muslims?
R Nadeswaran