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Key Highlights
The Arul Kanda gambit
Jobs for ancestral lands
Coasts and river banks are in danger, too
The Arul Kanda gambit
Former 1MDB CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy is gearing up to be a star witness against his former boss, Najib Abdul Razak, over allegations of tampering with an audit report.
There is one snag, however. Arul is also on trial for abetting the former prime minister.
Najib's lawyers are protesting against letting Arul take the stand, arguing that he may try to downplay his own role in the alleged crime.
Arul's lawyer, meanwhile, said his client was concerned whether he would be granted an acquittal after testifying.
The court will decide on June 24 whether or not Arul will be allowed to be a prosecution witness.
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HIGHLIGHTS
 | This comes after reports claim ex-CEO is 'happy' to become a prosecution witness. |
 | 'I did not know whether it was Najib’s accounts then.' |
 | He cites collapse of the Malacca sultanate. |
Jobs for ancestral lands
Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) is dangling the prospect of up to 2,000 jobs in an effort to win over the Orang Asli who would be affected by the Nenggiri hydroelectric dam project in Gua Musang, Kelantan.
The dam is expected to submerge four Orang Asli settlements and flood 5,384 hectares of forest land (the size of about 43,000 Olympic swimming pools).
However, TNB argued that the reservoir lake created can become a spot for the Temiar to cultivate aquaculture and eco-tourism.
They'll also build a mini gallery to house Orang Asli artefacts and archaeological items at the project site.
HIGHLIGHTS
 | Minister claims protesters are not from dam-affected areas. |
 | They claim planned projects threaten their livelihoods. |
 | ‘Currently, five quarry licences are issued at Gunung Raya.’ |
Coasts and river banks are in danger, too
Meanwhile, our coasts and river banks are also in danger.
According to the government, 425km of coastlines are affected by erosion, with 35 zones very highly vulnerable, and another 35 zones highly vulnerable.
By 2030, 123,000 hectares (more than 172,000 football fields in size) of developed areas are in danger of being hit by tsunamis.
An unspecified number of river reserves - including in the Klang Valley - are also vulnerable to erosion or flooding because of illegal encroachment and construction.
Want more environmental news? Read Kini News Lab's report about all the coal we're burning for electricity, and how it affects climate change.
HIGHLIGHTS
 | Minister was supposed to meet KL lawmakers. |
 | Rain is needed to raise the dam’s water level. |
 | 'Does anyone in the cabinet understand economics?' |
What are people saying?
 | By P Gunasegaram |
 | By Lim Kit Siang |
 | By Malaysiakini readers |
What else is happening?
In a Malaysiakini interview, PKR Youth chief Adam Adli cautions against assuming that all youth voters are "progressive" in nature.
After being threatened with a blacklist, the Bukit Jalil national stadium will be closed from today in order to facilitate repairs to its football pitch.
An economist urged the government to reintroduce former prime minister Abdul Razak Hussein's Green Book Programme so that the people can engage in farming and address the country's impending food crisis.
HIGHLIGHTS
 | This is to prevent case items from going missing. |
 | He keeps hush on the replacement candidate. |
 | The animated film is unlikely to open in China too. |
