Good morning.
The Kini Morning Brief team will be taking a short break. Our next edition will be on Sept 17. Happy Malaysia Day in advance.
Here’s our news and views that matter for today.
Key Highlights
Tempers flare, blood spills
AG-prosecutor split plan meets scepticism
SD plot “mastermind” identified
Tempers flare, blood spills
The tranquillity of Kampung Sungai Baru in Kuala Lumpur was ripped apart when enraged residents clashed with authorities.
Amid the chaos, Dang Wangi police chief Suzilme Affendy Sulaiman was left staggering with blood streaming down his face, after furious residents - hemmed in by riot police - unleashed a hail of objects, including stones.
The clash prompted Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim himself to weigh in, posting a photo of the bloodied officer on social media.
“Violence fuelled by incitement, hatred, and false information must never be allowed to take root in society,” he declared.
Inspector-General of Police Khalid Ismail later said that three people were detained after the incident.
The operation marked the authorities’ second attempt since July to evict 14 remaining residents from the enclave next to Kampung Baru. Backed by a court order, the eviction paves the way for developer KL City Gateway Sdn Bhd’s multi-million ringgit redevelopment project.
Most residents have already vacated the area after accepting the company’s buyout offer, leaving only a handful still holding out.
HIGHLIGHTS
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AG-prosecutor split plan meets scepticism
The government’s long-awaited pledge to separate the roles of attorney-general and public prosecutor has finally secured cabinet approval - but the move is already clouded by scepticism.
The decision comes after two years of study and a cabinet review of various models for splitting the dual roles.
DAP legal bureau chief Sangeet Kaur Deo, however, warned that structural changes alone would not guarantee independence without a shift in political culture and the dismantling of hidden influence.
“Beyond structures and laws, the deeper challenge lies in political culture. Even the most carefully drafted provisions will falter if informal practices of influence or interference are allowed to persist,” she said.
Sangeet urged that the public prosecutor be appointed through a transparent process - ideally involving Parliament or an independent body - rather than leaving the decision to a “select few”.
She added that a fixed tenure was vital to shield the post from subtle pressures or inducements, stressing that any directives from the attorney-general or government to the public prosecutor must be made public.
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SD plot ‘mastermind’ identified
Bersatu’s internal probe has zeroed in on a senior leader, fingered as the “mastermind” behind a covert push to gather statutory declarations (SDs) in a bid to undercut party president Muhyiddin Yassin.
A Bersatu leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, disclosed that division chiefs approached over the SDs have pointed fingers at the alleged “mastermind.”
“Yes, true. (The mastermind) has been identified. There are witnesses. Some admitted to having been contacted, and there are also recordings,” he told Malaysiakini.
At the Bersatu annual meet over the weekend, chaos erupted when Muhyiddin revealed in his speech that some quarters were collecting signatures to oust him.
The controversy followed a poison pen letter accusing certain quarters of attempting to boost deputy president Hamzah Zainudin’s executive powers while sidelining Muhyiddin.
HIGHLIGHTS
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Views that matter
 | By Bridget Welsh |
 | By R Nadeswaran |
 | By R Paneir Selvam |
 | By Yiswaree Palansamy |
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