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

Key Highlights

• Zahid ordered to enter defence
  
  

• United Johor opposition?
  
  

• Genting HK's unsecured loans
  
  

Zahid ordered to enter defence

The High Court in Kuala Lumpur ruled that the prosecution has established a prima facie case on the criminal charges against Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and ordered him to enter his defence.

The decision came more than three years after Zahid was first charged.

In a criminal case, the prosecution must first prove the defence has a case to answer, failing which the accused will be discharged.

In Zahid's case, the prosecution has proven that there is a case to answer and the trial will now proceed to the defence stage.

According to dates set by the court, the defence stage will extend until November, not considering delays and postponements.

Even after a decision is delivered, the case can still be appealed to the Court of Appeal and Federal Court. This means the case is unlikely to conclude before the 15th general election due in 2023.

The Bagan Datuk MP is facing a total of 47 charges - 12 counts of criminal breach of trust, eight bribery charges and 27 money laundering charges involving funds related to his foundation Yayasan Akalbudi.

HIGHLIGHTS

	Najib to appoint a Queen's Counsel from UK This is for his SRC appeal.
	Hearing of Rosmah's bid to recuse judge postponed It will be heard on Feb 3.
	Lawyer ready to prove rape allegations linked to Bersatu members A Bersatu rep had sued him.

United Johor opposition?

After suffering setbacks in the Malacca and Sarawak polls, Pakatan Harapan has made a commitment to try and unite the opposition for the Johor polls.

Harapan chairperson Anwar Ibrahim said a preliminary agreement has been made to rope in all opposition forces to ensure BN won't return to power.

However, whether that commitment will hold very much depends on how the opposition can distribute the 56 state seats they will contest, particularly those that are deemed "winnable".

Internally, Harapan is also facing differences of opinions on whether to use their coalition logo for the polls. A decision is expected tomorrow.

Harapan is also pushing the Election Commission (EC) to allow face-to-face campaigning for the Johor polls. Covid-19 restrictions in past snap polls have made it difficult to campaign.

Meanwhile, Umno is lobbying to contest seven more Johor seats compared to the 2018 general election.

If Umno has its way, it can pick up two seats from Gerakan, which is no longer part of BN, but the remaining five will have to come from MCA or MIC.

The EC is set to meet on Feb 9 to decide on the date for the Johor polls.

HIGHLIGHTS

	Undi18 calls for more youth candidates This is for the Johor polls.
	Analysts doubtful of Undi18's impact on snap polls Focus is also on youth-centric Muda.
	Ex-Johor MB rules out running in forthcoming polls 'We need to give opportunities to the young.'

Genting HK's unsecured loans

Three Malaysian banks are under the spotlight for unsecured loans they provided to Genting Hong Kong which is now facing financial troubles.

Subang MP Wong Chen demanded accountability from the three banks - Maybank, CIMB and RHB as their major investors are government-linked funds managing the savings of Malaysian taxpayers.

They include the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), Permodalan Nasional Behad (PNB) and Retirement Fund Incorporated (KWAP) - for which their dividends depend on the profitability of their investments.

However, Maybank maintained that its exposure to Genting Hong Kong won't lead to serious financial troubles.

HIGHLIGHTS

	Two new airlines will help the aviation sector - Azmin Minister says there will be healthy competition.
	Covid-19: Sharp increase in education clusters last week Sixty-two clusters were detected.
	DAP MP defends Saifuddin after criticism by Cambodian PM He says Hun Sen risks Asean's progress on Myanmar.

A daily glance at Covid-19

• 3,214 new cases yesterday (Jan 24).
  
  
• The infectivity rate is at 1.08, the highest level since August last year.

New cases by state

Selangor (816)
Johor (450)
Kedah (395)
Kuala Lumpur (249)
Negeri Sembilan (238)
Kelantan (231)
Penang (222)
Pahang (184)
Perak (120)
Sabah (118)
Malacca (80)
Terengganu (66)
Putrajaya (32)
Sarawak (7)
Perlis (4)
Labuan (2)

What else is happening?

• An NGO that mobilised flood victims to a gathering in support of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak claimed that it was merely a coincidence following complaints of them being duped.
  
  
• Police have identified 78 individuals involved in protests against MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki and will be questioning several of them.
  
  
• Sungai Buloh MP R Sivarasa's aide was charged under the MACC Act. DAP's Lim Kit Siang called it a vendetta after Sivarasa raised MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki's share ownership.
  
  
• Kelantan Forestry Department director Abdul Khalim Abu Samah raised eyebrows after he claimed deforestation was good for the tiger population.
  
  
  

HIGHLIGHTS

	MOE seeks to postpone vacating SK Assumption It seeks to postpone this until March.
	Domestic workers strip-searched, photographed - agency worker The photos used to threaten them.
	Pilot project targets 10k Indonesian domestic workers The signing ceremony will be held next month.

What are people saying?

	Sanctions during the pandemic By Hasanuddin Mohd Yunus
	Election system designed to make new parties like Muda fail By Zikri Kamarulzaman
	Seven points on Azam Baki protest By Andrew Sia