Good morning. Here are our important picks for today.

Key Highlights

  • MACC freezes, Bersatu simmers

  • Please, not another ‘white elephant'

  • Speaker accused of ‘nepotism’

MACC freezes, Bersatu simmers

MACC has frozen the bank accounts of Bersatu, much to the chagrin of its secretary-general Hamzah Zainuddin, who accused the government of using the commission to kill the party’s reputation.

Although MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki was tightlipped on the details, a source told Malaysiakini that the action was about the alleged contributions from some 10 contractors who were reportedly awarded various projects when Perikatan Nasional was in power.

The case is being investigated under the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act.

Former premier Muhyiddin Yassin, who is Bersatu's president, said a letter would be sent to MACC requesting it to unfreeze the accounts for the party to pay its staff and overheads.

Bersatu is also concerned that MACC’s move would hamper the party’s chances in the upcoming elections in six states.

HIGHLIGHTS

MCA Youth calls for reforms to let MACC ‘stand on its own’
PM denies interfering with MACC after Bersatu accounts frozen
MACC quizzes 90 voters over cash handouts in T'ganu  

Please, not another ‘white elephant’

Kota Melaka MP Khoo Poay Tiong has urged the Department of Environment (DOE) to reject the proposed construction of a deep sea port and a cruise terminal covering 481.57ha (equivalent to 899 football fields) along Malacca’s Central shoreline.

He said the state does not need another troubled ”white elephant” reclamation project.

The developer, Far East (Melaka) Sdn Bhd, submitted an environmental impact assessment (EIA) report for the project on Dec 21, 2022.

The planned project comes amid several port development plans in the southern waters of the peninsula.

HIGHLIGHTS

Stop 481ha Malacca reclamation project, environment at risk - groups
Scuffle erupts as NGOs, villagers barred from leaving 'illegal' mining site
Spanish court rejects Sulu ‘heirs’ appeal against annulled arbitrator

Speaker accused of 'nepotism'

Even before the dust has settled on Nurul Izzah Anwar’s appointment as a senior adviser to the prime minister, who is also her father, another case of possible nepotism has surfaced.

Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul is accused of appointing his son as a special duties officer.

Bersatu member Badrul Hisham Shaharin was among the first to raise this issue on social media.

He alleged that the full name of Johari's son Mohammed Iqbal was amended on the Parliament's online staff directory.

Badrul claimed that Iqbal’s surname was removed to mask his ties to the speaker.

HIGHLIGHTS

Think-tank Ideas thinks appointing Nurul Izzah bad idea
Grilled on Zahid, Anwar asks: Why refer to him personally?  
Ex-PAS MP backs Nurul Izzah’s advisory role  

Views that matter

Probe multi-billion Goldman-Muhyiddin govt settlement
By P Gunasegaram
The reason why cops don’t want to be recorded
By S Thayaparan
Letter to a Malay 'brother'
By Eric Loo

Other news that matter

  • Rafidah Aziz has criticised racial remarks that surfaced concerning the AR Rahman concert in Kuala Lumpur, saying there is no room in Malaysia for such views.

  • A raid at a migrant settlement in Negeri Sembilan led to the detention of 67 undocumented migrants, including a two-month-old child.

    Malaysiakini understands that among those arrested are school-aged children being prepared for integration with the Indonesian national school system upon their return home.

  • Perikatan Nasional has announced its line-up of parliamentarians tasked to lead "portfolio committees" who will function as a shadow cabinet, including responding to various policies introduced by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's administration.

HIGHLIGHTS

Police: Articles on Chinese schools not seditious, but titles alarming
How to serve rakyat, MPs ask amid possible 70pct cut to RM3.8m funding
Ex-banker surprised with Low's denial on their BBM chats over Najib's accounts