Good morning. Here's what you should know today.

Key Highlights

  • Ringgit dips to 25-year low

  • PAS and judgement day

  • MPs moot sheltering Gaza refugees

Ringgit dips to 25-year low

The ringgit fell to its lowest rate against the US dollar in 25 years on Thursday.

At the close of trading, the ringgit fell to 4.7680 against the dollar, the weakest since the 1997 Asian Financial crisis.

This was in part due to increased demand for the dollar amid the conflict between Israel and Palestine.

The Anwar administration is pursuing de-dollarisation and relying more on local currencies for trade and investment.

Trade in local currencies is already ongoing with Indonesia, Thailand and China.

HIGHLIGHTS

Govt issues orders to cut down on events, ceremonies, meetings
Muhyiddin denies link with MYAirline
No forced acquisition of Renong, Dr M, two others contend

PAS and judgement day

PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man joked that judgement day is near.

This is because PAS is currently in the opposition despite winning the highest number of seats - 43 - in the party's history last year

Previously, PAS was in government from 2020 to 2022 while it only had 18 seats in Dewan Rakyat.

This was after it joined forces with Bersatu - which defected from Pakatan Harapan - to help form the Perikatan Nasional administration.

HIGHLIGHTS

Tuan Ibrahim surprised PN did not capture Selangor
PAS candidate for Kemaman polls: 'Perhaps Dr M or someone else'
Afnan is new PAS Youth chief

MPs moot sheltering Gaza refugees

The Parliamentary Special Select Committee on International Relations and International Trade has mooted that the government send a team to the Rafah crossing to vet Gaza refugees that can be sheltered in Malaysia.

The bipartisan committee’s chairperson, Wong Chen, said that the committee would discuss the matter with the Foreign Ministry.

Scotland has already expressed willingness to take in refugees from Gaza, which is being battered by retaliatory attacks from Israel.

HIGHLIGHTS

Stop this 'madness', PM condemns strike on Gaza hospital
No sympathy for Israel, Nazri tells displeased Washington
I never meant to belittle Anwar's great work, says Hamas rep

Views that matter

From little egrets in Kota Bharu to Palestinian sunbirds in Gaza
By Zalina Ismail
DAP has never been a threat to Islam but to secularism
By S Thayaparan
Millions for public toilets wasted if dirty habits remain
By Andrew Sia

Other news that matter

  • Perikatan Nasional is expected to decide on the fate of Kuala Kangsar MP Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid - who had declared support for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim - soon.

  • Perlis’ sole opposition assemblyperson does not rule out the possibility of Jawi signage for businesses in the state becoming mandatory.

  • Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow is expected to sue Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce (PCCC) leader Tan Kok Ping over the latter's criticism of the Penang Development Corporation's (PDC) land deal in Batu Kawan.

    Malaysiakini digs into the deal - which is now cancelled - in a Kiniguide.

  • Plans to build a resort on the site of Malaysia's deadliest landslide, in Batang Kali, Selangor, have been shelved.

    The plans surfaced in the government's forensic report on the landslide released on Wednesday.

  • Former minister Zuraida Kamaruddin, in collaboration with 19 NGOs, will hold a conference called One Thousand Malay Women’s Conference on Oct 28 - with Dr Mahathir Mohamad as a guest of honour.

HIGHLIGHTS

AGC still working on Hadi, Mahathir and Muhyiddin's 3R cases
'Massage' post not meant to offend, says AirAsia boss
Syahredzan refers PN MP to privileges committee over 'DAP kafir' jab