'Frogs' stalling anti-hopping law?

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Key Highlights

• 'Frogs' stalling anti-hopping law?
  
  

• Saifuddin not keen on "cai"
  
  

• Face mask certification
  
  

'Frogs' stalling anti-hopping law?

Johor Bahru Umno chief Shahrir Abdul Samad alluded that Bersatu was responsible for blocking the planned anti-party hopping bill, as he pointed to MPs who had defected from Umno to Bersatu.

Bersatu information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan, however, said reports about Bersatu's objections did not reflect the spirit of the party’s discussions.

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi questioned if there were attempts to sabotage the bill but Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar stopped short of calling it a "sabotage".

Instead, he described it as a "difference of opinions among those in government".

For now, the plan is to introduce a constitutional amendment during the special Parliament sitting on April 11 to allow the introduction of an anti-hopping bill at a separate special sitting in the near future.

A draft of the anti-hopping bill is also expected to be circulated then. PKR's Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim, however, believes the draft should be tabled and debated.

The initial draft had planned to automatically trigger a by-election if an MP quits his or her party, defects or is sacked. Civil society groups, such as Bersih, prefer a recall election method.



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Saifuddin not keen on "cai"

The term "cai", although not officially a Malay word, is commonly heard during party polls, particularly during hotly contested ones. It draws from the Chinese word "cai dan" which means menu or list.

In the political context, a "cai" is a fixed list of names that is distributed to party members and they are expected to vote according to the list.

This is to ensure people from the same faction will fill all positions, thus allowing them full control of the party. This method is also used to purge rival factions.

In the upcoming PKR election, several leaders have revealed that they are contesting under Rafizi Ramli's team, who is gunning for the deputy president position.

PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, who is also contesting for the deputy president position, however, said he won't be relying on any "cai". 



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	’Govt’s nod to restructure concessionaires offer hope for highway sector’ This stops more toll rate hikes.

Face mask certification

The government is delaying the Sirim certification requirement for face masks.

The rule was supposed to come into force on July 4 but will now instead be enforced on Jan 1 next year.

This was after concerns among consumers that it could lead to an increase in prices and the need for industry players to adjust to the new rule.

The move is to combat substandard and counterfeit face masks that are not up to safety standards.



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A daily glance at Covid-19

• 11,994 new cases yesterday (April 7) bring the cumulative infections to 4,292,585.
  
  

• 36 new fatalities put the death toll at 35,228.
  
  
  

New cases by states

Selangor (6,419)
Kuala Lumpur (1,094)
Johor (625)
Penang (620)
Negeri Sembilan (614)
Perak (549)
Sarawak (413)
Kedah (356)
Pahang (316)
Terengganu (291)
Malacca (263)
Sabah (176)
Kelantan (130)
Putrajaya (48)
Labuan (45)
Perlis (35)

What else is happening?

• A 22-year-old man who lost the head of his penis in a botched circumcision at a government hospital 12 years ago was awarded RM3.1 million in damages.
  
  

• After receiving brickbats for suggesting that Malays needed a feudal protector, Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal roped in the Chinese community, suggesting that they vote for DAP because they too needed a communal protector.
  
  

• The airing of the local Malay drama "Perempuan Itu" has been delayed after a risque scene that was circulated on the internet irked the government.
  
  
  
  

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What are people saying?

	Serious issues over KL toll concession buys By P Gunasegaram
	PM, here's how to save the anti-hopping bill By Wong Chin Huat
	Don't be fooled by 'Malays need protector' discourse By S Thayaparan