Good morning. Here's what you need to know today.

Key Highlights

  • The Zahid problem

  • BN promises

  • Sungai Buloh dilema




The Zahid problem

BN chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is becoming a liability not just to his own coalition, but to Pakatan Harapan as well.

For BN, the coalition is having to constantly fight off allegations that voting for any of their MPs is a vote for Zahid, and that Ismail Sabri Yaakob will not be prime minister.

This line of reasoning is mostly used by Harapan and its supporters.

However, GTA and PN are using Zahid to attack Harapan as well, over allegations that the Umno president is conspiring with Anwar Ibrahim to form a government together after the elections.

HIGHLIGHTS

Rafizi: Anwar and I have differences, but we agree on 'no Zahid'
Zahid: Dr M using 'Anwar pact' to deflect from looming wipeout
Ismail Sabri: I'm on good terms with Zahid, no split in Umno leadership




BN promises

BN announced its manifesto on Monday which promised wide-ranging reforms and measures to uplift poor Malaysians.

This includes promising an assistive basic income so that every household has at least RM2,208 per month.

They're also promising free tertiary education for all B40 students, as well as schools transitioning from textbooks to laptops - which will also be given for free to the B40 group.

Meanwhile, for workers, BN is pledging to give you a paid day off every year on your birthday.

BN also joined PN and Pakatan Harapan in pledging to amend the Constitution to give mothers the right to pass down citizenship to their overseas-born children.

HIGHLIGHTS

BN's basic income offer will help B40 but concerns raised on implementation
BN-PN dawdled on mothers' citizenship rights, now in manifestos
BN paints town red, PSM tells it to declare designer watches, handbags first




Sungai Buloh dilemma

Sungai Buloh voters appear to have found themselves in quite a pickle.

After three terms under R Sivarasa, they find themselves struggling whether to vote for a candidate or for their party.

This is as voters appear torn between Khairy Jamaluddin - who has made a name himself as the reliable health minister - and PKR's new candidate for the seat, R Ramanan.

HIGHLIGHTS

Ramanan to KJ: Explain ECM Libra issue, don't beat around the bush
'Make allegation clear and I'll sue,' Khairy tells Ramanan
'Sg Buloh voters don't want to know how many rings I have'



Views that matter

Khairy Jamaluddin should get your vote
By S Thayaparan
Ignoring half the sky: Women displacement and GE15
By Bridget Welsh
In the fray for glory, fame and materialistic gains
By R Nadeswaran



Other news that matter

  • The government is warning that several locations in Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Johor, Malacca, Kedah, Sarawak and Kuala Lumpur are in danger of being hit by flash floods today.

  • Youth movement #KamiNampak is naming and shaming candidates who use race and religion in their campaigns.

  • Most of PKR's candidates have declared their assets with a few exceptions including party president Anwar Ibrahim and his wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

    This has been blamed on "time constraints".

  • PSM's Ayer Kuning state seat candidate Bawani KS also declared he assets which have a net total of RM992.50 after deducting her debts and commitments.

  • PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli has been urged to lodge an MACC report after he claimed the caretaker government was trying to bulldoze tender contracts for cronies during the election period.



HIGHLIGHTS

Tian Chua apologises to Anwar for contesting in Batu
In southern Johor, BN's fortunes at state polls may evaporate
Pressed on Invoke shareholdings, Rafizi tells BN, PN to declare assets