Answers wanted in Kedah rare earth scheme and other news you may have missed

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

1. Sahabat Alam Malaysia has called for greater transparency in Kedah’s plans to tap into its rare earth deposits, while Energy and Natural Resources Minister Shamsul Anuar Nasarah gave his assurance that his ministry will ensure any mining activity will follow sustainable mining practices.

2. The Perak state legislative assembly will debate a motion of confidence for Menteri Besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu today. PKR said it won’t support the motion.

3. Umno leaders have cried foul over the conditions imposed on withdrawals under the Employees Provident Fund’s i-Sinar facility, and top Umno MPs are expected to meet Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz soon over their objections.

4. Human Resources Minister M Saravanan has accused Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor of failing to keep his promise to inform him and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (National Unity) Halimah Mohamed Sadique prior to demolishing any non-Muslim places of worship.

5. The Dewan Rakyat has passed the budget proposals for 11 ministries through the committee stage so far, including the International Trade and Industry Ministry's RM1.2 billion budget, despite an attempt at bloc voting and Warisan’s participation in the vote for the first time.

6. The Dewan Rakyat has assigned observers to bloc leaders to improve the counting of bloc votes.

7. A total of 99,696 workers have been laid off up to Nov 27 this year, including many highly skilled professionals, while Star Media Group undergoes its fourth retrenchment exercise in seven years.

8. Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah has slammed Deputy Home Minister Ismail Mohamed Said for citing national security concerns to deny citizenship to children born to Malaysian women with foreign spouses.

9. Top Glove has lodged a police report over the alleged abuse of its worker by an enforcement officer on duty around its quarantine facilities, while Defence Forces chief Affendi Buang said action has been taken against the soldier implicated in the incident.

10. The police have received five more police reports alleging rape by a male celebrity of a religious programme.