MCO to be lifted in most states and other news you may have missed

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

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1. The second movement control order will be lifted in most states from Feb 19 as the Covid-19 outbreaks there show signs of dissipating, but Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Johor and Penang will remain under restrictions after the order is extended until March 4.

2. Tanjong Malim MP Chang Lih Kang claimed that signs of the improving Covid-19 situation are misleading due to reduced testing over the Chinese New Year holidays, but Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said Covid-19 testing in Malaysia is still well above World Health Organization standards.

3. The government has launched a guide book to its Covid-19 vaccination programme ahead of its rollout next week. MPs and assemblypersons will among the first recipients alongside other frontliners while members of the public may begin registering on March 1.

4. Private hospitals say they are prepared to aid the vaccination drive while some businesses expressed willingness to pay to jump ahead in the vaccine queue. Consumer associations argued that retail employees should qualify as frontliners for vaccination, while journalist groups make the case for media workers to be vaccinated alongside other frontliners.

5. A total of 90 Southeast Asian parliamentarians from seven countries urged for the Malaysian Parliament to be allowed to convene, while Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said the government has yet to invoke emergency powers to temporarily seize private property due to good cooperation from the private sector.

6. The MACC has arrested Perak PKR deputy chief MA Thinagaran, purportedly over an investigation into a development project in the state.

7. The High Court sitting in Temerloh has ruled against an Orang Asli group claiming to have native customary rights over a plot of land that is slated to make way for oil palm plantations.

8. Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal has reaffirmed his commitment to support the lowering of the voting age, despite earlier stating that those aged 18 to 20 were not yet ready to vote.

9. Within hours of having its website blocked by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, the controversial dating service Sugarbook sent an email coaching its members to circumvent the block.

10. Malaysian Youth Council is seeking 10 Malaysians aged up to 35 years old to serve as “youth advisors” to the prime minister.