Emergency ordinance suspends elections and other news you may have missed

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

1. An emergency ordinance has granted the government sweeping powers, including to seize properties, as well as temporarily suspending elections.

2. Malaysiakini explains how the emergency ordinance, which some lawyers say is draconian, affects regular citizens

3. Several politicians have called for an emergency ordinance to protect sexual harassment victims as a bill to criminalise it has been delayed due to Parliament being suspended.

4. Malaysiakini also takes a peek at plans to integrate the private healthcare sector into the government’s Covid-19 response mechanism.

5. Kelantan and Sibu were placed under movement control order due to a spike in Covid-19 cases.

6. The Health Ministry reported 3,211 new Covid-19 cases and a record high for patients under intensive care.

7. Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob warned that criticising standard operating procedures for mosques is akin to questioning sultans.

8. Umno Youth leaders from Pontian and Seremban called on party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to go back on garden leave.

9. Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan apologised over his remark that only the highly educated or PhD holders understand the need for a snap general election.

10. Malim Nawar assemblyperson Leong Cheok Keng refused to respond to the DAP disciplinary committee’s letter seeking an explanation over reports on his alleged move to join MCA.

11. Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd is being sued over the contractor’s alleged failure to pay an over RM1.65 million levy for the controversial Sarawak solar hybrid energy project linked to Rosmah Mansor, wife of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak.

12. The Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry has initiated legal action against the European Union (EU) and its members France and Lithuania following their anti-palm oil measures.