Najib 'explains' payment to former PR man and 9 things that happened yesterday

KINI ROUNDUP | Here are the key headlines you may have missed yesterday, in brief.

1. Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak dismissed allegations of money laundering involving RM15 million against his former media adviser Paul Stadlen and Umno lawyer Hafarizam Harun, saying the money was meant as payment to a company formed by Stadlen for 'several years of work'.

2. Earlier, Hafarizam Harun, who is the legal adviser to Umno and BN, claimed trial to two charges of money laundering involving RM15 million.

3. Dr S Anand of the Subang Jaya Medical Centre told an inquest that the injuries found on late firefighter Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim were inconsistent with an assault.

4. Pakatan Harapan could lose the 15th general election if it pushes everything on the reform agenda at one go, Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said.

5. With the Semenyih by-election approaching, Selangor MCA chief Ng Chok Sin has deemed the government's move to reintroduce the RM100 cash aid for low-income singles as vote-buying.

6. Electoral watchdog Bersih has cancelled the debate it proposed to be held among the Semenyih by-election candidates following the refusal to participate in it by the contenders from Pakatan Harapan and BN.

7. Inspector-general of police Mohamad Fuzi Harun defended the visit by several senior police officers, including himself, to Turkey, stressing that it was for study and not entertainment.

8. Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad admitted that the size of the civil service is too big and ought to be reduced, but said doing so would pose additional problems in the form of unemployment.

9. Guar Chempedak assemblyperson Ku Abd Rahman Ku Ismail, who left Umno in November last year to join Bersatu, campaigned for the Harapan candidate in Semenyih.

10. Attorney-general Tommy Thomas said all cases in the superior and subordinate courts will continue despite the cabinet's decision to form a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into the judiciary.