US regulator says Najib received kickbacks, and 9 news from yesterday

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

1. In its order permanently banning former Goldman Sachs executive Tim Leissner (above) from the securities industry, the US Securities and Exchange Commission named former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak as a recipient of kickbacks from funds that Leissner helped raise for 1MDB.

2. The Prisons Department denied lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah’s claim that convicted murderer Azilah Hadri may have been brought out of prison to meet a VVIP. However, Shafee is not swayed by the denial.

3. Najib said he would swear a sumpah laknat on the Altantuya murder matter once again on Friday, this time to address allegations made by Azilah in the latter’s statutory declaration.

4. Former Council of Eminent Persons chairperson Daim Zainuddin said the government, having been in power for nearly two years, should stop making excuses and bring down the cost of living.

5. The Kuala Lumpur City Hall has ordered electronic billboard advertisements for the controversial online dating site Sugarbook to be taken down, saying these were obscene.

6. Following a settlement, Sabah Umno has forfeited RM254,112.24 to the government that was linked to the 1MDB scandal, out of the RM1.25 million originally sought.

7. A Klang court has granted an interim protection order for 51 migrant workers who were allegedly subjected to forced labour, while two people have been remanded for three days to facilitate investigations.

8. The Election Commission has received 486 complaints on electoral offences in the nine by-elections held since the 14th general election.

9. Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he hopes the initiatives at the Kuala Lumpur Summit, which begins today, would be a catalyst to bigger things for the Muslim community.

10. The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency said it has conducted 12 search and rescue operations so far since the northeast monsoon began in October, with four deaths attributed to the severe weather.