Good morning, here’s a quick rundown of what happened over the weekend.
Key Highlights
What's next after Johor polls?
Opposition's future
Ampang landslide
What's next after Johor polls?
BN's landslide victory in last weekend's Johor polls, in which it won 40 out of the 56 state seats, has many implications, including Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob's future and the 15th general election.
The next thing to watch out is the Umno general assembly which begins on Wednesday (March 16) until Saturday (March 19).
The series of elections were pushed by the faction led by Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and the successes have allowed him to consolidate his position and pressure Umno vice president Ismail Sabri to call an early general election.
Notably, on the night of BN's victory last Saturday, supporters were chanting ”dissolve Parliament”.
It is not in Ismail Sabri's interest to hold early polls as he may not be reappointed as the prime minister.
Ahmad Zahid, as the Umno president, also hold the cards on fielding candidates for the general election - for which he is likely to ensure that the majority of them are loyal to him instead of Ismail Sabri.
Ismail Sabri pushed back against calls for early polls, stating that they are only favoured by a small group.
He also opened the door to extending the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the opposition to prolong the life span of his fragile government.
Zahid slammed the proposal to extend the MOU. He could also use this week's Umno general assembly to force Ismail Sabri's hand.
If the Umno general assembly approves a motion calling for a general election this year, Ismail Sabri can no longer claim it is a demand by a "small group" and will be in an awkward position of going against the popular will of the party.
Pushback is expected from those aligned with Ismail Sabri. Health Ministry Khairy Jamaluddin, for example, discouraged an early general election, citing the Covid-19 pandemic.
HIGHLIGHTS
 | BN continues march on path of revival, others not so much. |
 | 'Najib is BN's main campaign manager,' says Zahid. |
 | Singapore says it handles requests on the matter promptly. |
Opposition's future
After the opposition's dismal performance in the Johor polls, there was a renewed call for uniting the opposition, but like previous attempts, there were no concrete solutions.
BN won a landslide victory despite only winning 43.11 percent of the popular vote because the anti-BN votes were split down the middle, with Harapan and Muda collectively getting 29.87 percent of the votes while Perikatan Nasional received 24.04 percent.
This reality prompted talks of a possible Harapan-PN tie-up but PAS' Kuala Nerus MP Khairuddin Aman Razali warned that his party won't accept such an arrangement. PAS is part of PN.
PN chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin said he was prepared to step down after his coalition only won three seats in the Johor polls. However, his party Bersatu is standing by him.
Other newcomers in the Johor polls, such as Warisan and Pejuang, performed abysmally with all their candidates losing their deposits.
HIGHLIGHTS
 | 'They should open until 6pm.’ |
 | EC needs to find a way to accommodate. |
 | Sabah CM says ROS has approved its registration. |
Ampang landslide
More extreme weather has not only caused the country to grapple with frequent flash floods but also an increased occurrence of landslides.
Four people died in a landslide at Taman Bukit Permai, Ampang, which occurred last Thursday after a sustained downpour.
The Selangor government promised RM10,000 aid for families of the deceased.
Following the incident, authorities ordered some 200 residents to vacate 48 houses in Taman Bukit Permai 2.
Yesterday, the police also ordered the occupants of another 15 houses in the neighbouring Taman Bukit Permai 1 to evacuate.
Climate change has put a spotlight not only on the country's flood management but also on the way development is conducted, particularly along hillsides.
HIGHLIGHTS
 | This is over an eco-friendly resort. |
 | Some locations might face a severe rise in temperatures. |
 | 'He did not find the individual's claim to be credible.' |
A daily galnce at Covid-19
22,535 new cases yesterday (March 13) brings the cumulative infections to 3,823,571.
87 new fatalities put the death toll at 33,807.
New cases by states
Selangor (5,345)
Kedah (2,332)
Johor (1,973)
Negeri Sembilan (1,950)
Kuala Lumpur (1,594)
Penang (1,548)
Sarawak (1,354)
Pahang (1,352)
Perak (1,292)
Terengganu (1,039)
Kelantan (1,005)
Sabah (845)
Malacca (563)
Labuan (133)
Putrajaya (121)
Perlis (89)
What else is happening?
The government splurged RM600,000 on door gifts for its Keluarga Malaysia events, according to a parliamentary written reply.
Incumbent Johor Menteri Besar Hasni Mohammad said his government has yet to decide on a mega reclamation project off the coast of Muar while Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim called for more transparency.
The Court of Appeal allowed the temporary return of former Felda chairperson Mohd Isa Abdul Samad’s passport. He is facing nine charges of corruption in relation to Felda’s questionable acquisition of hotel assets.
HIGHLIGHTS
 | Govt source says engagement session postponed due to Johor polls. |
 | 'Goodwill and cooperation are always the wise choices.' |
 | Marzuk says this while defending PM's panned Women's Day post. |
What are people saying?
 | By Zan Azlee |
| By Bridget Welsh |
 | By Ranjit Singh Malhi |
