Good morning! Here’s what you need to know today.


Key Highlights

  • Umno and the curse oath

  • PAS and unilateral conversions

  • Ex-speaker and the Sheraton Move





Umno and the curse oath

Sumpah laknat, an oath invoking God’s wrath on liars, is back in Malaysian politics with Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi prepared to use the tactic.

Zahid wants to refute allegations that he brought piles of files to beseech Muhyiddin Yassin for help with his court case when the latter was prime minister.

He has also challenged Muhyiddin to swear such an oath to back his claim, but the Bersatu president said it was not necessary, for he is not a liar.

Zahid’s predecessor Najib Abdul Razak had uttered the sumpah laknat several times, notably to deny any connection with Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu and her murder.

Najib has even entertained comments that such an oath led to the Pakatan Harapan government’s downfall.

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PAS and unilateral conversions

PAS is echoing the tactics of the US Republican party by espousing state rights over federal law on the issue of conversion of minors to Islam.

The Federal Court ruled in 2018 that unilateral conversions are illegal, and that consent from both parents are required when converting a child to Islam.

However, PAS and other proponents of unilateral conversion are trying to use state rights on Islamic matters as a loophole to get around this.

This is despite the Federal Constitution stating that federal law takes precedence over state laws when there are inconsistencies.

On Monday, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Ahmad Marzuk Shaary - who is from PAS - urged all to respect the states in which the local laws allowed for unilateral conversions.

This was followed by a call yesterday by the Islamist party’s uIama wing for states to amend their respective laws to allow for unilateral conversion.

The push for conversions by a single parent comes after single mother Loh Siew Hong successfully got custody of her three children, who had been converted to Islam by their father.

PAS has called on the government to ensure that these children don’t leave Islam.

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Ex-speaker and the Sheraton Move

Former Dewan Rakyat speaker Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof is breaking his long silence after being the last Pakatan Harapan casualty of the 2020 Sheraton Move.

His latest book, Parliament, Unexpected chronicles his eventful tenure - and ouster - as the Dewan Rakyat Speaker.

Ariff even explains why he had rejected then interim prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s request for a special sitting - a move critics claim denied the Dewan Rakyat a chance to test who had majority control of the House.

In an interview with Malaysiakini, the former judge refuses to take direct swipes at his controversial successor, Azhar Azizan Harun, but does state several matters which he would not have done if he was the speaker.

Ariff also expresses his disappointment with Deputy Speaker Rashid Hasnon, on top of some other regrets.

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Court dismisses suit over engineer’s 2013 death in custody

Agong urged to rescind title from MACC officer linked to Beng Hock’s death



A daily glance at Covid-19

  • 27,179 new cases yesterday (Feb 22)

  • Another 43 new fatalities bring the death toll to 32,433.

Cases by states:

Selangor (5,568)
Sabah (4,406)
Penang (2,601)
Kedah (2,583)
Johor (2,200)
Kelantan (2,043)
Pahang (1,668)
Kuala Lumpur (1,355)
Negeri Sembilan (1,157)
Perak (1,025)
Terengganu (782)
Malacca (611)
Sarawak (441)
Perlis (299)
Labuan (277)
Putrajaya (163)




What else is happening?

  • Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein tested positive for Covid-19 just over a week after he was fined for flouting SOPs.

  • The police’s integrity unit is proposing improvements to curb deaths in custody, including hourly patrols, and health checks every time a detainee enters and exits a lock-up.

  • The High Court rebuked Pasir Salak MP Tajuddin Abdul Rahman for sexist comments against Seputeh MP Teresa Kok in 2017. The court also rejected Tajuddin’s defamation suit against Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad, KiniTV and New Strait Times, stemming from the remarks.



HIGHLIGHTS

Peter Anthony hopes to align new party with GRS

Gerak Independent loses Subang candidate

PKR postpones party polls to May




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