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

Key Highlights

  • Holiday in FTs, but is it really?

  • Najib uses Zeti as leverage

  • Outbreak at Cyberjaya school



Holiday in FTs, but is it really?

Today is a public holiday in the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan to celebrate the capital city's football team winning the Malaysia Cup.

But is it really a public holiday? For the private sector workers, maybe not.

The impromptu declaration is not a paid public holiday covered by the Employment Act, meaning that employers can dock wages if they decide to shut down today.

The government, however, is encouraging employers to give their workers paid leave.

If you need to make any financial transactions, banks in Kuala Lumpur are open as usual today.

HIGHLIGHTS

MP: FT holiday may cost RM400m losses
'Impromptu holiday also socially disruptive'
'FT holiday disrupts medical exams'
Dr Adeeba asks if the holiday is necessary.
FT minister defends public holiday
He cites support on Facebook.

 



Najib uses Zeti as leverage

Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak's legal team is using former Bank Negara governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz and her husband Tawfiq Ayman as leverage.

Najib's lawyers are attempting to introduce new evidence to support his appeal in the SRC International case - which the Court of Appeal is supposed to deliver its verdict next Wednesday.

Najib said the new evidence is related to the MACC's revelation that US$15.4 million in 1MDB-linked funds had been repatriated from a company co-owned by Zeti's husband.

He is arguing that Zeti must have been complicit with Jho Low, which is why funds flowing out of 1MDB were not flagged by Bank Negara.

HIGHLIGHTS

'Prosecution kept Zeti probe hidden'
Shafee explains why Zeti was not called to testify.
'Book didn't criminally link Najib to Altantuya murder'
Ex-AG being sued by ex-PM.
Rosmah misses court
Arrest warrant rejected after explanation.

 



Outbreak at Cyberjaya school

At least 139 cases of Covid-19 have been detected at the Sekolah Seri Puteri all-girl boarding school in Cyberjaya as of yesterday.

Of the cases, 114 are students. All the positive cases are being treated at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (Maeps) quarantine centre.

The good news, at least for now,  is that all those infected in stable condition are either in Category 1 or Category 2A.

The school has a 98.6 percent vaccination rate.

HIGHLIGHTS

NUTP objects to Covid tests at schools
Union moots home testing instead.
48 countries banned from Langkawi
This is due to the Omicron variant.
Expert warns against ozone 'air purifiers'
These devices pose a hazard.

 


A daily glance at Covid-19

  • 5,806 new cases yesterday (Dec 2).

  • The national R-naught is holding steady at 0.95 and only Perlis, Penang and Labuan have an R-naught above 1.00.

  • 47 deaths bring the death toll to 30,521.


What else is happening?

  • The Selangor state government has finally relented and given Putrajaya the green light to proceed with the Northern Alignment for the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project, but with the option that the Southern Alignment passing by Kuala Langat will be explored in the future.

  • Sarawak PKR may field fewer candidates in the forthcoming State Legislative Assembly election to reduce competition to take down the GPS coalition.

  • Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii is set to square off against Sarawak United People's Party president Dr Sim Kui Hian in the Batu Kawah seat.

  • Amanah deputy president Salahuddin Ayub denied that a merger with PKR was being explored, and said it's not being considered at all.

HIGHLIGHTS

S'gor may increase its state assembly seats
This is to avoid malapportionment.
Defence minister reaches out to whistleblower
This is over bullying in an army camp.
Minister: Youths 18-20 can't vote in S'wak
Nov 2 electoral roll to be used.

 


What are people saying?

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By Williams & Casadio
Our political system designed to keep us apart
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Better Malaysia? A hard row to hoe
By Malaysiakini readers