Saifuddin's PKR team

Good morning, here’s a quick rundown of what happened over the weekend.


Key Highlights

• Saifuddin's PKR team
  
  

• Penny stock controversy
  
  

• Apandi settlement

Saifuddin's PKR team

Saifuddin Nasution, who is vying for the PKR deputy president position in the party polls, finally unveiled his team.

Saifuddin initially said he wasn't planning on having a team but his rival Rafizi Ramli had formed one much earlier and has been campaigning aggressively.

Touting a message of inclusivity, Saifuddin's team included former allies of ex-PKR deputy president Azmin Ali who were sidelined even though they did not follow Azmin in defecting to Bersatu.

Saifuddin has promoted a message of reconciliation while his allies have suggested that Rafizi's more combative approach could split the party.



HIGHLIGHTS

	UM panned after Anwar-Najib debate venue changed UM should encourage exchanges of ideas.
	PSM leader slams 'unnecessary probe' This is over the May Day rally.
	Umno man: Why did Muhyiddin speak out only after losing power? He suggests Muhyiddin acted out of self-interest.

Penny stock controversy

The conviction of Malaysian tycoon John Soh Chee Wen for market manipulation in Singapore spilt into Malaysian politics.

PKR Student's wing deputy chairperson Dharshinee Suresh Kumar urged Muda central executive committee member Dian Lee (above), who is also the daughter of tycoon Lee Kim Yew, to clarify her role in the controversy.

This was based on the fact that Lee's Clear Water Development Sdn Bhd is a substantial shareholder in one of the firms in which Soh had manipulated the shares. 

Lee said suggestions that she was involved in market manipulation were "baseless and defamatory". 

She added that she was never questioned by Singapore authorities and the Singapore High Court had clearly outlined the perpetrators.

Soh and his partner Quah Su-Ling were found guilty of 349 charges. They were accused of artificially inflating the share prices of the three companies through a network of 189 trading accounts held by 60 individuals and firms.



HIGHLIGHTS

	Zahid: Umno should forget working with PAS in GE15 ‘PAS never agreed to matters in Muafakat charter’.
	Selangor Umno, PAS to cooperate in GE15 - Noh They target to win 30 of the 56 state seats.
	Kit Siang: Return of a Marcos in Philippines may be GE15 indicator Kleptocrat’s son is set to win.

Apandi settlement

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad spoke out against the government's decision to settle the unlawful dismissal case brought by former attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali.

Apandi was sacked in 2018, when Mahathir was the prime minister. Apandi was responsible for "clearing" then prime minister Najib Abdul Razak of wrongdoing in the 1MDB scandal in 2016.

After Apandi was sacked, Najib was charged and subsequently found guilty of money laundering, abuse of power and criminal breach of trust.

Meanwhile, attorney-general Idrus Harun said he had already informed Mahathir about the terms of the settlement.

Permatang Pasir assemblyperson Faiz Fadzil said Idrus should disclose the terms of the settlement publicly.



HIGHLIGHTS

	Lawyers to hold EGM on 'intimidation' of judiciary Malaysian Bar EGM on May 27 at Wisma MCA.
	M'sian Bar: AG must explain why Serba Dinamik let off the hook AG must not be seen as overriding the regulatory bodies.
	Legal action against MACC over judge Nazlan probe Declaration sought to say MACC can’t probe a sitting judge.

A daily glance at Covid-19

• 2,153 new cases yesterday (May 08) bring the cumulative infections to 4,458,889.
  

• Four new fatalities put the death toll at 35,583.
  
  
  
  

New cases by states

Selangor (1,157)
Kuala Lumpur (261)
Penang (156)
Negeri Sembilan (105)
Perak (91)
Johor (81)
Kedah (63)
Malacca (63)
Pahang (35)
Sarawak (34)
Terengganu (34)
Sabah (29)
Kelantan (25)
Putrajaya (7)
Perlis (6)
Labuan (6)

What else is happening?

• Two police outriders are facing a disciplinary investigation after they escorted the son of an MP even though he did not qualify for such a privilege.
  
  

• Another round of claims emerged about attempts to push out Sulaiman Md Ali as the Malacca chief minister but Malacca Umno denied the speculation.
  
  

• After a prison break in Negeri Sembilan and a bold escape from an immigration centre in Penang, two detainees have escaped from a drug rehabilitation centre in Perlis. All these happened in the span of one month.
  
  
  
  
  
  

HIGHLIGHTS

	Given a year to live, Swathi has just turned five 'We strive to create awareness about rare diseases.'
	Severe action against those who let underage kids drive - Wee Grasscutter killed after being hit by a car.
	Lawyers questioned by cops over candlelight vigil The vigil was for Nagaenthran.

What are people saying?

	MACC investigates the judge - is it a good precedent? By Hanipa Maidin
	Judiciary intimidated - the other view By Abdul Hamid Mohamad
	Failed again by social welfare and zakat systems By Mariam Mokhtar