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Key Highlights
Death in UUM dorm
Latheefa targetted
Perak rare earth rush
Death in UUM dorm
A 20-year-old accounting student died in her dormitory at the Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) in Sintok, Kedah last Saturday.
S Vinosiny is suspected to have suffered a fatal electric shock, something which the family claims is backed up by injuries on her body and the post-mortem findings.
Police and the Energy Commission are probing the incident, and UUM has vowed not to cover up the case.
The death came just over a week after another dormitory accident occurred down at the Universiti Malaya campus in the Klang Valley.
A fire broke out in a dorm room after UM's management allegedly failed to fix a damaged fan that students had lodged a report on.
HIGHLIGHTS
 | Judge finds the credibility of the witnesses questionable. |
 | This is reportedly the biggest bust of its kind. |
 | This is over Tabung Haji's alleged selling of RM2.6b equity. |
Latheefa targetted
Former MACC chief Latheefa Koya has come under renewed attack over her credibility in serving in that position.
Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak had taken aim at her as well as former attorney-general Tommy Thomas during his debate with Anwar Ibrahim, saying there should no longer be political appointments for those two roles.
Meanwhile, former chief justice Raus Sharif also made a veiled swipe at her, saying that the appointment of an active politician as MACC chief had initiated the downfall of the commission's reputation.
Latheefa was a PKR member when she was appointed by the Mahathir administration to replace career graftbuster Shukri Abdull - who had resigned just short of his contract expiring.
Under Latheefa's watch, the MACC had initiated civil forfeiture suits against various individuals and groups alleged to have received 1MDB-linked funds.
She is also responsible for releasing damning recordings of phone conversations between Najib and individuals close to him regarding the 1MDB case.
It should be noted that Najib had also been accused of meddling with the MACC when he installed Dzulkifli Ahmad as chief graftbuster.
Dzulkifli was an aide to then attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali. His appointment was seen as an attempt to suppress 1MDB investigations.
HIGHLIGHTS
 | They include abuse of power in diverting relief aid and stimulus packages. |
 | He says funds were transferred to legal firm as officer was 'careless'. |
 | Friday's EGM will hear seven motions. |
Perak rare earth rush
The Perak state government is embarking on a pilot project to mine for rare earth in the Kenderong Forest Reserve.
Initially, there was some confusion on whether the project had been greenlit as the Environment Department's (DOE) website had marked the project's environmental impact assessment (EIA) as "not approved".
However, the department's director-general said this was a technical error, and that the EIA had actually been approved.
The project covers 11 land parcels of 5,339 acres (2,161 ha), which is equivalent to about 3,026 football fields.
Environmental groups have expressed concerns that the project could impact the Central Forest Spine - a forest 'highway' for wildlife - and the project's potential impact on the environment and water supply.
HIGHLIGHTS
 | 'It could potentially earn Perak a reputation for housing toxic facilities.' |
| MB claims due process completed, but EIA for lanthanide mining rejected. |
 | Lifting ban will create green jobs - Yeo |
A daily glance at Covid-19
1,918 new cases yesterday (May 24) bring the cumulative infections to 4,494,782.
2 new fatalities put the death toll at 35,647.
New cases by states
Selangor (831)
Kuala Lumpur (413)
Penang (124)
Negeri Sembilan (118)
Malacca (104)
Kedah (62)
Johor (56)
Perak (56)
Sabah (52)
Sarawak (34)
Putrajaya (20)
Pahang (19)
Kelantan (13)
Terengganu (13)
Perlis (2)
Labuan (1)
What else is happening?
The Public Service Department defended its dress code for visitors to government offices as being in line with the Rukun Negara and that it is also implemented in other countries.
Tanjung Malim MP Chang Lih Kang warned that the upcoming MRT3 project could suffer from low ridership just as is being experienced by MRT1.
Grab denied it had changed its fare structure amid an uproar over recent price fluctuations.
HIGHLIGHTS
 | This is for his efforts in the fight against Covid-19. |
 | 'There are no Malay, Chinese or Indian chickens. Chicken is chicken.' |
 | 'Malaysia's economy is heading in the right direction,' he says. |
What are people saying?
 | By P Gunasegaram |
 | By Bridget Welsh |
 | By R Nadeswaran |
