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

Key Highlights

  • Bad cops

  • Equal funding

  • Uniting against PN




Bad cops

A police officer has been accused of raping a 16-year-old, who had wanted to lodge a report after being allegedly raped by her stepfather.

This is not the first time a police officer has been accused of rape.

In 2020, a police officer working at a roadblock during the MCO stopped two Mongolian women and - instead of taking them to a police station - he took them to a hotel, and he has been accused of raping them and holding them against their will.

The latest incident has earned the ire of politicians, including de facto Law and Institutional Reforms Minister Azalina Othman Said, who highlighted a breach in the procedure by the police in how they dealt with the rape victim when she came to report her first sexual assault.

This incident has also revived calls to establish the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) - a body that would be empowered to act against errant officers on top of any charges they face under criminal law.

However, the original proposal to set up the IPCC had been replaced by a toothless Independent Police Conduct Commission, which can only recommend proposed action.

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Equal funding

Arau MP Shahidan Kassim has accused the Anwar Ibrahim administration of withholding funding to opposition MPs.

Harapan's manifesto for the 15th parliamentary election did not pledge equal allocation to all MPs but instead pledged to establish a "Constituency Development Fund (CDF)" that can be used by all MPs.

The Perak state legislature has been giving equal funding to all state assemblypersons since 2021.

Johor also did the same in 2021, and BN included it in their manifestos for both Malacca and Johor state polls.

HIGHLIGHTS

Govt funding for opposition: Was PN fair, asks Nazri
7-Eleven Malaysia names Anwar’s former aide as chairperson
Terminated IRB staff plead to PM for reinstatement




Uniting against PN

Pakatan Harapan will soon be discussing among themselves whether or not to cooperate with BN in the forthcoming elections in six states.

Such a move would deny Perikatan Nasional winning on split votes, although this would still be an uphill battle in Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah.

Harapan and BN had previously made way for each other midway through the Tioman and Padang Serai elections - which helped BN retain Tioman, while PN captured Padang Serai with a landslide victory.

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Views that matter

PN’s strategy of using 'infidelic' Western values
By S Thayaparan
Can an academician minister halt university decline?
By Sharifah Munirah Alatas
Stop the baloney, provide equal allocation to all elected reps
By G Vinod



Other news that matter

  • The Health Ministry urged Malaysians not to wait for the new Covid-19 bivalent vaccines - which had yet to arrive in the country.

  • A Bersatu supreme council leader hit out at the government's sharing of perceived ”propaganda” through official SMS from the Digital Communications Ministry.

  • The Fire and Rescue Department are probing whether textile and clothing brand Jakel had been the victim of arson after its headquarters in Shah Alam caught fire twice.

  • The new PN-led Perlis government has not discussed banning 4D number betting outlets yet.



HIGHLIGHTS

Fewer 4D lottery draws not enough, says PAS ulama wing
Bersatu leader hits out at ministry sharing govt 'propaganda'
S'gor state reps defend ‘discriminatory’ PJ bus fare for foreigners