Good morning. Here's our news and views that matter for today.
Key Highlights
The billion-ringgit drug connection
Politicians divide, children unite
Disgrace! Ambiga flays govt
The billion-ringgit drug connection
An Indian senior journalist has claimed that the boss of a drug kingpin in Tamil Nadu is a Malaysian.
However, Malaysian police don’t have any information about this in their anti-narcotics database.
Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain said local police are in the process of obtaining more details from the Indian authorities.
The journalist, A Shankar, had alleged that the “Malaysian boss” is a film distributor who has close ties with numerous celebrities in the Tamil movie industry.
On Saturday, the Indian Narcotics Control Bureau arrested politician and Tamil producer Jaffer Sadiq in connection with an RM1.13 billion drug bust.
“Jaffer spearheaded a network that sourced pseudoephedrine in India and trafficked it to Australia, New Zealand, and Malaysia in the guise of food-grade cargo.
“It is believed that the drug syndicate operated by him has sent 45 consignments over the past three years to various countries, containing approximately 3,500kg of pseudoephedrine,” the NCB said.
HIGHLIGHTS
 | |
 | |
 |
Politicians divide, children unite
As politicians engage in a verbal war over vernacular schools, a heartwarming photograph has emerged depicting a Chinese pupil walking together with a Malay pupil wearing a tudung on the first day of school.
The photograph was posted on the Facebook page of SJKC Yu Hua in Kajang.
Among those who commented on the post was Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan, who said: “This is the diversity and harmony which we should celebrate and defend.”
Meanwhile, Umno Youth chief Dr Muhammad Akmal Saleh, who asked former Penang deputy chief minister P Ramasamy if he was “drunk” when the latter called him “delusional”, has now agreed to have a discussion about the issue.
Though he did not respond to former DAP assemblyperson Satees Muniandy’s challenge to a debate, he consented to a “chat over coffee” about vernacular schools with the party’s Bukit Gasing assemblyperson Rajiv Rishyakaran.
HIGHLIGHTS
 | |
 | |
 |
Disgrace! Ambiga flays govt
Former Malaysian Bar president Ambiga Sreenevasan has some choice words for the Madani government over the proposed citizenship amendments, which have courted brickbats from Pakatan Harapan lawmakers themselves.
“This is an important principle worth fighting for. Not even the BN or Perikatan Nasional governments did this. Madani, this is a disgrace!” she said.
Ambiga, who is also the former Bersih chairperson, challenged Harapan to permit its lawmakers to vote freely on the amendments.
“I dare Harapan to lift the whip and allow the MPs to vote according to their conscience on this ridiculous amendment,” she said.
The amendments encompass several different issues, one of which is to grant women the right to pass down citizenship to their overseas-born children.
While that amendment is lauded, other proposed changes have been criticised on grounds that they could worsen statelessness in Malaysia.
HIGHLIGHTS
 | |
 | |
 |
Views that matter
 | By P Gunasegaram |
 | By Fa Abdul |
 | By R Nadeswaran |
Other news that matter
Former Bersatu supreme council member Muhammad Faiz Na'aman believes more of the party’s leaders and pioneer members at all levels will be joining PKR.
Warisan president Shafie Apdal said both his party and Sabah Umno are still discussing teaming up in the next state election.
Khazanah Nasional Berhad will not be selling its stake in Malaysia Airport Holdings Berhad (MAHB). This was amid speculation that it was planning to form a consortium with a company with links to a pro-Israel firm.
HIGHLIGHTS
 | |
 | |
 |
