Twenty cases of Covid-19 infection have been linked to a home quarantine breaker in Kubang Pasu. And now, targeted movement curbs are being enforced in four Kedah localities.

Elsewhere in today’s newsletter, Sabah Umno and its allies quarrel over seat allocations for the upcoming state polls, Umno refuses to be a part of formalised Perikatan Nasional, and Lim Guan Eng asks more legit questions about that Goldman deal.

Yesterday was a historic day as, for the first time in our relatively short history as a nation, a former prime minister was convicted of criminal offences. As such, almost the entirety of today’s newsletter is devoted to one Najib Razak, his SRC International trial and reactions to it.

By the way, if you want some comprehensive (if we do say so ourselves) background and context to the trial – and in case you missed it – you can read our newsletter yesterday, here, before heading into what happened.

After almost two years of parleying, we’ve finally got a commitment from Goldman Sachs to shell out as much as US$3.9 billion over its role in the 1MDB fiasco. But as massive as that amount may seem, the big question is – are we getting shortchanged?

Elsewhere in today’s newsletter, the cops get ready to move in on Covidiots, our Comms Minister issues another statement on filming licences, and Anwar Ibrahim still isn’t done talking about frenemy Mahathir Mohamad.

A statement from a Perikatan MP that Malaysia was “Tanah Melayu” has, predictably, rankled people from East Malaysia, with Sabah’s No. 2 man saying yesterday that the statement was dangerous and, also, just incorrect.

In other news, a DAP MP has proven government MPs wrong by providing proof that his illustrious father has once played an audio recording in the Dewan Rakyat; the war of insults between two former PMs continues; and, two new clusters have been identified as the number of active Covid-19 cases continue to climb.

Malaysia’s Covid-19 numbers are getting worrying again, and PM Muhyiddin Yassin’s government is now mulling making it compulsory for masks to be worn in public.

In other news, recognition of the United Examination Certificate’s become an issue again, certain GLC heads claim they ain’t making as much dough as rumoured, and Dewan Rakyat Speaker Art Harun’s actions get scrutinised again.

It was an odd day yesterday – there were a lot of interesting little nuggets of news, but not really one huge main headline or overarching story. The closest we have is probably the Election Commission’s announcement that it is hot to trot for early polls.

But the winner of place of pride in our lead story section goes to Najib Razak, Hishammuddin Hussein and Abdul Hamid Bador for their statements which left quite a few people scratching their heads.

Oh, and the Health Ministry is mulling making it mandatory for those returning from high-risk Covid-19 countries to be placed in quarantine centres. All these and more in your Friday edition of BTL. Read on for the deets!

The Auditor-General’s Report has again given us an insight into just how efficient our government ministries, departments and agencies are (sarcasm mode fully on). Released in Parliament yesterday, the report includes a passage that details that nearly 1,000 our roads may be ticking time bombs.

In other news, an MP has retracted an offensive remark made in the Dewan Rakyat but is still being lambasted for it (and rightly so); the opposition is still pissed about the appointment of the new Speaker of the House; there may be a new political party soon; and, we’re back to having no local transmissions of Covid-19.

Malaysia’s poverty benchmark gets a much-needed revision. But does the new estimate mean we’re no longer poor?

Elsewhere in today’s newsletter, the transgender community warns of hate and violence following a minister’s remark, PM Muhyiddin Yassin gets ready to test his support in the Dewan Rakyat, and we register our first Covid-19 death in over three weeks.

There was good news all round yesterday as the country’s largest cluster of Covid-19 infections was declared closed after four very long months, while for the second time in a week, there were no local transmissions.

In other news, universities and colleges will begin reopening this month, an Umno vet (not the animal doctor kinda vet) has made an unusual suggestion about PM Muhyiddin Yassin and there were contrasting (terribly so) news about the two biggest national airlines.

After weeks of squabbling, Pakatan Harapan’s finally given Anwar Ibrahim the backing as its PM candidate. It’s anyone’s guess though if this is all a show and more importantly, what Dr Mahathir Mohamad thinks about the latest turn of events.

In other news, Al Jazeera is being probed over a report on the treatment of migrants in Malaysia during the Movement Control Order (MCO), only one active case remains from the Seri Petaling Tabligh cluster, and taps are set to go dry in 290 areas in the Klang Valley.

While Pakatan Harapan Plus remains a house divided (three ways, no less), Perikatan Nasional is showing the country that their yet-to-even-be-formalised coalition is as united as conjoined twins.

In other reports, a news portal has failed in its bid to have contempt proceedings against it thrown out; and, the number of active Covid-19 cases has dropped to just double digits for the first time in what seems like forever.

PM Muhyiddin Yassin is said to prefer an outsider to be the next Dewan Rakyat Speaker, with one surprising name in particular believed to be the top choice for the position.

In other news, we’re still no closer to finding out just which of three old men – a sexagenarian, a septuagenarian and a nonagenarian – will be Pakatan Harapan Plus’s choice as PM candidate; the nation’s unemployment rate has gone up like some people’s blood pressure; and, the snail’s pace of a certain former PM’s trial could see it drag on for another year.

A third name’s been put forth as a potential Opposition PM candidate. But is Shafie Apdal truly a contender? Or is his entry into the race just another attempt by Dr Mahathir Mohamad to screw frenemy Anwar Ibrahim over?

In other news, two motions, one of which is aimed at testing PM Muhyiddin Yassin’s support in the Dewan Rakyat, get submitted to Parliament; the Education Ministry fixes new dates for the SPM and STPM exams, and a GE13 candidate is arrested over the kidnapping and murder of a “Datuk Seri” businessman.

The country could possibly hit its debt ceiling by the end of the year, thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic and resulting restrictions, and it’s not good news for us. Just how will we be affected?

Meanwhile, schools reopened for upper secondary students yesterday, with the Health Ministry saying it will work with the Education Ministry to decide if students at other levels can return, and when; and, PKR prefers to have snap elections called rather than support a certain former PM’s motion of no confidence against the current PM.

July 1. That’s the day you’ll be allowed to take in a film and/or enjoy a cool dip in the pool. But what else can we expect from Malaysia’s soft reopening?

Elsewhere in today’s newsletter, more cases of Covid-19 infections are recorded in Pedas, PKR orders its reps to keep their views to themselves, and the thorny issue of a 27-year-old constitutional amendment is dredged up.

It’s just a small matter, concerning who should be the Grand Poobah of Pakatan Harapan Plus. But the impasse (or should we say argument) over whether it should be a a septuagenarian or a nonagenarian is now threatening to send the coalition the way of ancient ancestors of men.

In other news, the current PM (and his buddies) has filed an application to strike out a suit by a former PM (and his buddies); a certain Boy Wonder is claiming to be the latest victim of a purported government crackdown on dissent; another person is being investigated for a statement not made by her; and, two Indonesians are on the lose and feared to be spreading Covid-19 among people in Sarawak.

What appears to be a government crackdown on dissent continues as a DAP MP is investigated for merely “asking a question”, while a news organisation is in trouble for allowing certain comments on one of its articles.

In other news, our great leaders in Pakatan Harapan Plus are still at an impasse as to whether it should be an old man or a much older man who should lead them to glory; we could be in even more trouble in terms of unemployment by the end of the year; and, a former top civil servant says another top civil servant wasn’t pressured to do something bad, even though the latter had earlier said otherwise.

Don’t look now, but according to the rumour mill, PM Muhyiddin Yassin is gearing up for a snap general election to cement his government’s authority. Yes, folks, that means GE15!

Elsewhere in today’s newsletter, Anwar Ibrahim talks himself up once again while simultaneously bashing Dr Mahathir Mohamad, ex-AG Apandi Ali sounds like he’s talking through his backside, former radio personality Patrick Teoh faces up to a year in jail for allegedly insulting the Johor Crown Prince, and we say goodbye to the Health D-G and Defence Minister’s daily press briefings.

It’s back to school later this month for students due to sit for upper level exams, after a three-month hiatus thanks to Covid-19. But there’s still no word about when the rest of our whippersnappers will be following suit.

In other news, our Covid-19 numbers increased by just two (yay); a bunch of NGOs are calling for our PM, our former PM and our would-be PM to work together for political stability (yeah, right); and, a former attorney-general decides to open his mouth and defend a former PM while “accusing” another ex-PM of conspiracy. That’s a lot of exes, no?

From Wednesday, June 10, Malaysia will officially be under recovery movement control. What this means is that between now and Aug 31, we will slowly be making our way back to normalcy. Or some version of it anyway.

Elsewhere in today’s newsletter, we look at what the RMCO means for Parliamentary democracy, whether the Penjana stimulus package is all it’s cracked up to be, and what the hell is gonna happen to all the data we’ve given up over the last three months to kononnya keep that darn coronavirus at bay.

So, a sultan has threatened to dissolve his state’s legislative assembly if there was another power struggle there, and has come under criticism as he doesn’t really have the power to decide that. No prizes for guessing which sultan this is, but let’s just say it’s not the first time he or some member of his royal family have overstepped their authority.

Meanwhile, Umno is being accused (now why does that sound familiar?) of wanting to put former PM Najib Razak back in power; our Covid-19 numbers are back in the high double digits; and, the prosecution in Najib’s SRC International trial is now taking its turn at oral submissions.

Make no mistake. Drink driving is a serious issue that requires a serious solution. The question is though: are the fellas in power really serious about solving the problem or is the production, sale and consumption of alcohol once more, being used to score racial and religious brownie points?

Elsewhere in today’s newsletter, the Muhyiddin-Mahathir fallout continues, a beauty queen makes a pretty ugly racist boo-boo on social media, and Malaysians look forward to the current movement curbs being relaxed further.

The controversy over the government’s handling of Covid-19 infections among undocumented migrants continued yesterday, even as a senior minister defended it by saying those infected were brought to a “beautiful place” to be treated.

In other news, our daily Covid-19 infections have hit a new low; politicians from across the divide are in rare solidarity in condemning online harassment against two DAP Selangor reps; and, Pakatan is keeping mum about their choice of PM candidate, despite the fact everybody knows who it is.

There’s good news and bad news as far as Covid-19 is concerned. While 13 clusters have ended, another has made an appearance, this time among undocumented foreigners.

Meanwhile, the pregnant woman who traveled from the Ampang red zone to “green” Kelantan before testing positive for Covid-19 was allowed to do so for reasons that beggar belief.

In other news, the rift in Bersatu is getting bigger, with the party’s Youth wing now siding with its chairman and calling for party polls to happen soon; and, we learnt what “Project PITA” in 1MDB stood for (and it ain’t polite, shall we say).

And finally, folks – it’s gonna be a long weekend, with the Aidilfitri holidays falling on Monday and Tuesday. It’ll be a weird one this year, with us not being able to visit our Muslim friends and gorge on rendang and lemang. We hope you take care, social distance and stay safe. Between The Lines will be back in your mailbox on Wednesday.

Selamat Hari Raya, maaf zahir dan batin!

We were served up quite a bit of a surprise yesterday when we learned that a certain Malaysian Hollywood film producer may testify against his (in)famous stepfather. Could this be part of the deal which saw money laundering charges against said producer dropped?

In other news, the Jibster’s 1MDB corruption trial finally resumes after a long break; our dear old Bapa Pemodenan Malaysia, it seems, is not officially the chairman of Bersatu; and yet more audio clips regarding Bersatu and its decision to leave Pakatan Harapan have surfaced.

Last but not least, abang police or tentera may come knocking on your door during the upcoming Raya holidays if you have many vehicles parked outside your home.

For our main story today, we take a look at the curious case of Riza Aziz’s discharge from his money laundering case. Ex-AG Tommy Thomas is catching flak for Riza being let off the hook. Thing is, he was no longer A-G when the decision to drop the charges against Jibby Razak’s stepson was made!

In other news, Mukhriz Mahathir finally exits the Kedah Menteri Besar’s office, Perikatan Nasional’s top six ink an MoU, and the Health Ministry worries that interstate travel may see Covid-19 infection rates spike.

It’s the end of the road – for now at least – for Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s hopes of initiating a Parliamentary vote of no confidence against PM Muhyiddin Yassin. This after it was made known that the so-called Parliament session on May 18 will only see the King deliver his opening address and nothing more.

In other news, Muhyiddin is facing criticism for making the decision for Bersatu to leave Pakatan without the consent of the party’s supreme council; Mahathir’s son Mukhriz remains defiant that he is still Kedah MB despite the fact that 23 of his assemblymen have apparently signed SDs stating they aren’t confident in his leadership; Malaysians can only go Raya visiting on the first day of Aidilfitri and another minister is in trouble for allegedly violating the MCO.

So it turns out that the 20-people-at-a-time Hari Raya visiting rule is just a guide. The question is though, 20, 10 or five, how the heck is the government gonna police this?

In other news, parents might soon be barred from taking their kids to malls and other public places, the Health Minister claims innocence in a graft probe, and down in Melaka, one state legislative assembly speaker gets exchanged for another.

What’s a small thing like a global pandemic that’s infected millions and killed hundreds of thousands when there’s politics to be played? As the single-day sitting of Parliament draws near, the temperature is rising as our so-called leaders begin jockeying for power and position.

That said, there’s still a lot to talk about on Covid-19. A new infection cluster has been detected; a senior minister clarifies that companies won’t actually be shut down if just one employee tests positive; and, an MCO violator speaks about how she was bullied by other inmates in prison.

Several Movement Control Order (MCO) regulations have been relaxed, with perhaps the happiest one (at least for some Malaysian men) being that now two people in a family can sit in a car. Does this mean a not-too-distant end to being forced to stay at home?

Meanwhile, there’s been a spike in the number of new Covid-19 cases in the country; a single mum has her custodial sentence for an MCO violation reduced to a fine; a senior minister goes all silly and defends the indefensible; and a cop is charged over the alleged rape of two foreign women.

This may have slipped through your radar over the weekend, but PM Muhyiddin Yassin laid out the cost of the MCO in terms of lost revenue for the country – and boy it ain’t cheap.

But on the bright side, with recoveries stacking up and new infections still trending lower, we may be coming to the endgame soon. About bloody time, we say.

Also, have you noticed the shitstorm that’s erupted over what a Rohingya activist is said to have said? If you haven’t, never fear as here’s where you can get the skinny on it. Be warned, though: you may not like what you read.

Is there truth in the numbers?
The number of new daily Covid-19 cases have consistently been in the double-digits over the past few days. But are they a true reflection of actual infections in Malaysia? Or will mass testing, especially of foreign workers, prove otherwise?

Meanwhile, a new cluster has been identified in Johor, people in Selayang (now under enhanced movement control order, or EMCO) are starving, business owners are worried about the post-MCO period and Muslims have been advised to not balik kampung for Ramadan and Raya this year.

Regular Malaysians have been forced to stay home for the past month, on pain of arrest, in an effort to stop the spread of Covid-19. By and large, we’ve accepted the rules with good grace. But it’s turning out that these rules don’t seem to apply to those who fancy themselves as the leaders of this nation.

On the bright side, though the partial lockdown is now into its second month, things actually do seem to be getting better and there is genuine hope that we’ve turned a corner in the fight against the devastating virus.

Did you hear a huge sound of cheering yesterday? That was probably the sound of the nation’s kids rejoicing, after the government decided to cancel or postpone a whole bunch of major exams, thanks to that pesky coronavirus that’s messing with us.

In other news, for the first time since before the movement control order (MCO) was put in place, the number of new Covid-19 cases daily has dropped to double digits. The number of recoveries was also higher than new cases, bringing the total recovery rate to more than 50%.

Like foreign workers, refugees in Malaysia have been hit badly by the Movement Control Order. But will the powers-that-be step in and give them the help they need or let them risk starvation?

Elsewhere, the signs suggest that Covid-19 is helping PM Muhyiddin solidify his position as premier, and Putrajaya makes a hair-raising U-turn as Miti’s website goes crash, boom, bang.

Also, today is the Tamil New Year, and we’d just like to wish Chittirai Puthandu Vazhthukkal to all our Tamil friends!

It’s D-Day yet again. Will we have to go through a further period of movement control order (MCO), or will this second phase end on April 14? PM Muhyiddin Yassin is expected to announce this today, after he is briefed by Health DG Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah in the morning.

Muhyiddin will have lots of things to consider, and not just whether the number of Covid-19 infections have come down enough to lift the MCO. We take a look at some of the things he will have to think about, and what alternatives are left to him.

Also, we’d like to wish Christians a Happy and Blessed Easter in advance.

We’re in this for the long haul, it would seem. If the PM’s new public health adviser has her way, Malaysians will have to avoid mass gatherings and continue to practice social distancing for between six and nine months after the movement control order (MCO) is lifted.

This comes as two more buildings are placed under enhanced MCO and three more districts join the red zone list, while the government is mulling different rules for different zones after the MCO is relaxed.

With more people being thrown into jail for breaching the MCO, there’s legit concern that it’s only a matter of time before Covid-19 rears its ugly head in prisons here.

In other news, the country records more coronavirus cases and deaths while the Health Ministry worries about returning Malaysians importing new infections.

Will we see a third phase of the Movement Control Order (MCO)? It all depends on how we do in the next week.

In other coronavirus-related news, a PM, a former PM and a man who looks like he will never be PM all made their presence felt; AirAsia appears to be in big trouble financially; and, two senior ministers will head a special committee that will look into how to best balance economic priorities and the need to enforce the MCO. Oh, and we have a new special envoy to the Middle East.

Two ministries caused a lot of concern yesterday. One took us back to the Stone Age by advising women to, basically, please their men during these trying times, while another wanted Ramadan bazaars to continue despite the inherent risks posed by Covid-19.

Meanwhile, the numbers continue to rise as six more people died of Covid-19 yesterday, while efforts are still ongoing to trace 87 participants of the Sulawesi tabligh now considered “high risk”.

And lastly – would you believe that today marks the first anniversary of our little newsletter? We’ve gone from a small batch of 30 people to over a thousand subscribers today and we just want to say thanks to each and every one of you for being with us on this journey.

PM Muhyiddin promised a stimulus plan for all Malaysians, and for the most part, that’s exactly what he seems to have delivered. But do we have enough money to stimulate the economy to the tune of RM250 billion?

Elsewhere, Hulu Langat gets locked down, while Malaysia registers a bunch of unwanted records as the number of Covid-19 cases continues to go up and up.

The movement control order (MCO) has been extended and we’ll all be stuck at home till April 14, at the very least. It’s a necessary move, but also one that will hammer our economy and cause the loss of 2.4 million jobs.

Meanwhile, the country saw its deadliest day yesterday with five Covid-19 patients dying, bringing the total death toll to 20. And the worst may yet to be as the Health Ministry confirmed what a research house had said previously – that there’s the possibility the infection rate could peak next month at 6,000 cases or more.

And this is a crucial PSA: Blood bank supplies are dwindling. The National Blood Centre is appealing for donors to come forward and replenish supplies. It has also released a list of dos and don’ts for blood donation during the pandemic. Come on, folks. Let’s do what we can! Also, please forward this email via Whatsapp or social media so more people are aware of the blood shortage.

Also, we hope you guys are coping as well as can be expected with Covid-19 and the MCO. Drop us an email to let us know how you’re keeping yourselves from going nuts at home (we could use the advice!). But most importantly: stay safe, stay strong.

Pockets have been hit hard by Covid-19 and the Movement Control Order. And shockingly, the government now wants workers to dip into their own savings to deal with the loss of revenue.

Elsewhere, Malaysia registers a record increase of Covid-19 cases and sees many more deaths.

Lastly, if all this social distancing is making you miss your fellow humans, you may want to head over to Twitter. Yes, we know it can be full of horrible nonsense sometimes, but it also has Juan Mata’s sweetness, Jim Carrey’s weirdness, Patrick Stewart’s artsiness, random time-wasting games, music playlist suggestions and just delightfully weird humour. Enjoy.

While the overall compliance with the movement control order (MCO) seems to have improved, apparently it’s still not enough and warnings have started coming out that the army may have to be called in to help enforce the orders. So don’t be surprised if you finding yourself staring down the barrel of a tank soon.

Also, our most famous Malaysian – Dr Mahathir Mohamad – has gone into self-quarantine after coming into contact with an infected MP.

Meanwhile, the government has announced some additional financial efforts in the war against Covid-19 and politicians continue to engage in more finger-pointing, even as the country continues its march to that now inevitable 1,000-case mark.

Lastly, this is important so we’re putting it right up here. The WHO has warned people NOT to take ibuprofen if you’re showing Covid-19 symptoms as it could worsen the disease.

Share this on Whatsapp, email or social media via the buttons below. You could save a life.

Two people diagnosed with Covid-19 died yesterday, the first deaths in the country since the virus was detected on our shores. Meanwhile, 120 more cases were detected, most of which were linked to the Sri Petaling mosque cluster.

A few things were clarified about the movement control order issued by the government, with the National Security Council also putting out a FAQ to help those still dazed and confused about things.

But most irritating is that even with a fatal pandemic sweeping through the globe, our politicians can’t seem to stop their stupid, petty politicking. Read on to find out what we’re talking about.

If you thought Covid-19 was scary earlier, the weekend would’ve definitely given you the heebie-jeebies. A spate of new infections were confirmed, nearly doubling the total number of people struck down in the country.

Elsewhere, catfights over the new government continue and a news reporter comes under a disgusting attack thanks to a social media post by one of our new ministers.

The search is on for 5,000 Malaysians who participated in a recent religious gathering attended by a Bruneian with Covid-19, which has now been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation.

Meanwhile, PM8 Muhyiddin Yassin and his some of his ministers announced a number of decisions made during the first Cabinet meeting of the Perikatan gomen; ex-PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad is blaming everyone but himself for the fall of the Pakatan gomen; and, the SRC International graft trial of another former PM, Najib Razak, has ended with the defence resting its case.

PM Muhyiddin Yassin has finally announced his Cabinet line-up and while certain scandal-tainted leaders are, thankfully, missing, the new team does definitely looks more Bumi-Malaysia than Malaysian-Malaysia.

Elsewhere in today’s newsletter, the Perak state government finally falls, and the number of Covid-19 cases in the country spikes to 117.