Spike in Covid-19 cases, and 9 news from yesterday

KINI ROUNDUP | Key headlines you may have missed yesterday, in brief.

1. Malaysia reported seven new Covid-19 cases yesterday, all of which were found when the Health Ministry traced close contacts of Case 26.

2. Bank Negara Malaysia has slashed its overnight policy rate to 2.5 percent – its second cut this year – in a bid to mitigate the economic impact of the Covid-19 outbreak worldwide.

3. The March 9 sitting of the Dewan Rakyat is likely to be postponed, but Pakatan Harapan leaders and Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s loyalists in Bersatu are already holding low-key briefings to explain to their grassroots and support on what transpired last week.

4. Mahathir disputed Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s claim that the former had triggered last week’s political crisis, saying it would not make sense for him to resign for no reason.

5. Gabungan Parti Sarawak revealed its conditions for supporting Muhyiddin’s bid for premiership, saying that implementing the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and its demand for oil royalties is more important than cabinet positions.

6. Bersatu youth chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said he will remain in Bersatu and combat corruption from within the party.

7. Activist Fadiah Nadwa Fikri has been questioned by police at Bukit Aman, but will be questioned again today at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters.

8. A witness at the Suhakam public inquiry on the disappearances of Joshua Hilmy and Ruth Hilmy insisted he had seen emails from Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin to the couple, but he did not have a copy.

9. Police conducted simultaneous raids in four states against an international drug trafficking syndicate, arresting 11 people and seizing drugs worth RM5.2 million.

10. The Kebun-kebun Bangsar community garden is rallying neighbours and supporters to testify against a noise complaint on the garden, after the Kuala Lumpur City Hall ordered for its animals to be removed following one neighbour’s complaint.