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

Key Highlights

  • Damage control for ministers

  • Najib at WCEF

  • MACC panel accused of inaction



Damage control for ministers

After Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rina Harun gained internet infamy for posing with a water jet while surrounded by photographers, the Welfare Department swung into action.

It stressed the minister was not posing and was instead cleaning bird and lizard droppings. It even shared photographs to prove the minister did much more, including sweeping the floor and arranging tables.

The justification courted further ridicule from social media users who have zoomed in on the conduct of ministers in the aftermath of the flood disaster that started on Dec 17.

Rina was not alone in facing criticism. A video of an ambulance being forced to stop for Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob's convoy in flood-hit Hulu Langat, Selangor, also raised anger from the people, prompting the police to weigh in.

Police defended the decision to stop the ambulance for the prime minister, maintaining that it was for safety and to avoid a possible accident. It also maintained that this was in accordance with traffic rules.

Ipoh Timur MP Wong Kah Woh disputed the explanation, pointing out that the Road Traffic Rules 1980 state that any ambulance shall “when on urgent duty have the right of way over all other traffic”.

Before the dust settled on the controversies, another video of the prime minister posing with a shovel during the Hulu Langat visit went viral on social media.

In the video, Ismail Sabri was seen scooping up some dirt and tossing them aside while surrounded by photographers. After that one scoop, the shovel was handed to a Fire Department personnel.


HIGHLIGHTS

Malaysia seeks UN climate funds amid deadly floods
The funds will help develop an adaptation plan.
Umno Youth: Flood victims want EPF withdrawals
PM had said it was unnecessary.
Minister: I returned before PM's order
Ahmad Faizal said he was in Dubai for less than 12 hours.




Najib at WCEF

The invitation for former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak to officiate the World Chinese Economic Forum (WCEF) generated controversy due to his corruption conviction.

Property tycoon Lee Kim Yew, who founded WCEF, called it an embarrassment and stressed that he had separated from the organisation.

WCEF chairperson Cheah Chyuan Yong said Najib's conviction was not a consideration and he was invited due to his commitment to foster good relations between Malaysia and China.

During his speech at the event, Najib hit out at former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, calling him a liar and racist for opposing the China-funded Forest City project.

In another dig at Mahathir who had zoomed in on Chinese Malaysians' use of chopsticks to highlight challenges in assimilation, Najib said what mattered more was that the local Chinese community are Malaysian at heart.

Najib is seeking to overturn his 12-year prison sentence for money laundering, abuse of power and criminal breach of trust in the Federal Court.



HIGHLIGHTS

'Keluarga Malaysia rings hollow after PM skips Xmas do'
Kit Siang criticised the PM's absence.
PTPTN loan deferment for flood victims
No supporting documents are needed.
Landslide near an IIUM dormitory: 128 evacuated
Selangor Fire and Rescue Dept alerted.

 



MACC panel accused of inaction

Political economy professor Edmund Terence Gomez resigned as a member of the MACC's consultation and corruption prevention panel.

The resignation was over what he said was the panel's inaction against MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki's alleged ownership of two million shares in a public listed company and conflict of interest concerns.

The MACC has been embroiled in controversies in recent months, including allegations that its officers stole RM25 million - which was seized in a criminal breach of trust case.

The MACC had raised eyebrows when it was initially reluctant to let police investigate the matter and sought to probe its own officers. The police eventually stepped in.



HIGHLIGHTS

Hospital employee tests positive for Omicron
She had just returned from Saudi Arabia.
Sg Langat level at ‘dangerous’ level near Kajang
Residents in flood risk areas are advised to be alert.
EMCO in Felda Jengka 25. Temerloh – NSC
This is based on the Covid-19 risk evaluation.

 


A daily glance at Covid-19

  • 2,757 new cases yesterday (Dec 27).

  • 35 new fatalities put the death toll at 31,369.

New cases by states

Selangor (565)
Johor (361)
Kelantan (346)
Kedah (273)
Penang (197)
Perak (189)
Pahang (180)
Terengganu (172)
Kuala Lumpur (135)
Sabah (125)
Negeri Sembilan (92)
Malacca (76)
Sarawak (21)
Perlis (13)
Putrajaya (11)
Labuan (1)



What else is happening?

  • A quarter of the Malacca state assemblypersons were absent during the session yesterday, due to Covid-19. Four have been infected while another three are under quarantine as they were close contacts. This situation prompted the four-day sitting to be shortened to one day.

  • The Public Works Department has identified signs that part of the Seri Duta 1 condominium in Kuala Lumpur is unsafe for occupancy following a landslide and repair works are now underway.

  • A total of 48 people have died from this month's flood disaster as of yesterday. Five are still missing. More than 33,000 people are still at relief centres.


HIGHLIGHTS

Ex-PKR leader dies after bouts with illnesses
Fariz Musa, 51, passed away.
Muda raises RM1m for Pahang flood victims
This is in addition to another RM1m raised recently.
Syed Saddiq recounts Muda members’ stay with Umno leader
'In times of disaster, we are here together to serve.'


What are people saying?

Hose the sludge off the floor of Parliament
By Eric Loo
National reset needed now, more than ever
By Hartini Zainudin
Karma hits Ismail Sabri’s '90pct govt' hard
By Malaysiakini readers