Good morning. Here's what you should know today.
Key Highlights
The migrant worker quota scam
Syariah courts empowerment
Flood season in full swing
The migrant worker quota scam
Malaysiakini's latest investigative report exposes a syndicate that has been gaming the government's migrant worker quota system to reap profits.
The syndicate used fake documents to bring in hundreds upon hundreds of migrant workers for jobs that don't exist.
The companies involved make money by either selling the quotas to other companies or agents or by selling or renting out the workers.
The scam has resulted in hundreds of migrant workers - who were duped into thinking they had jobs waiting for them - in dire straits, while at least two migrants brought in by the syndicate have died.
The Human Resources Ministry vowed a full investigation into the matter.
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Syariah courts empowerment
The government will set up a special committee sanctioned by the Conference of Rulers to empower and elevate the status of syariah courts.
This includes enhancing the syariah courts’ powers over Muslims while ensuring that it does not affect non-Muslims.
This came amid backlash from Perikatan Nasional against a legal challenge seeking to void parts of Kelantan's syariah criminal laws due to overlap with federal law.
Some 2,000 PN supporters had gathered outside the Palace of Justice on Monday to protest the lawsuit.
All PN lawmakers briefly skipped Parliament to attend the protest.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, however, stressed that the case was simply a jurisdictional issue and not about challenging syariah law.
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Flood season in full swing
The monsoon rains are back, and with it, the annual floods.
Terengganu is the worst hit thus far with more than 4600 people forced to evacuate their homes as of last night.
In both Kelantan and Terengganu, continuous heavy rain is expected to last until Wednesday.
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Views that matter
 | By Lutfi Hakim Ariff |
 | By Lim Teck Ghee |
 | By P Gunasegaram |
Other news that matter
Muda will hold its first party elections by the second quarter of next year.
Bersatu wants to amend its constitution in an attempt to plug a party-hopping loophole.
Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh took issue with a PN lawmaker who made a pantun in Parliament about polygamy, saying it was disrespectful to the latter's family.
US Pizza is mulling a name change as it flounders with its brand name amid boycott calls over the ongoing violence in Gaza.
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