To MCO or not to MCO? That is the question.
According to his peeps, the PM will announce tighter Covid-19 protocols today. But just how much tighter are we talking about here? Meanwhile, our Covid sitch goes from worse to worser with deaths piling on and active cases now within spitting distance of the 30,000 mark.
Elsewhere in today’s newsletter, Muhyiddin’s support in Parliament hangs in the balance; an Umno man gets too high-handed; and our moneybags minister is slammed for blowing smoke up his own behind.
Can it get any worse? Yes it can.
Another day, another Covid-19 record’s been broken. And, we’ve been warned that our daily infections could increase to 8,000 by mid-March if the infection rate goes any higher. Holy craperama!
In other news, two new opposition parties have had their registration applications rejected. Everyone’s raising a stink except, of course, those in government. And, we cover the ongoing will-they-won’t-they saga of the possible Umno-Bersatu divorce.
How bad is our Covid sitch? Very.
We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but our Covid-19 numbers have hit a new high. It’s only gonna get worse, apparently, so don’t go planning any holidays anytime soon.
Also getting worse are relations between Umno and Bersatu, with the two once friends-with-benefits potentially looking at a permanent split. Meanwhile, a disgruntled Umno bigwig spills the tea on his party while an ex-CEO testifies on the 1MDB-Umno link.
Umno war drums beat again
Barisan Nasional secretary-general Annuar Musa’s been given the boot in yet another indication the coalition’s dominant force – Umno – is pushing for snap polls soon and moving towards a split from Bersatu.
In other news, family ties come out strong as the son of one Umno man defends his father and the daughter of another insists dad isn’t behind her cushy new “job”. A DAP father-son team, meanwhile, is facing a movement against them. All that, plus more deets on Malaysia’s Covid-19 vaccine deal.
So what happened to Nora Anne?
The decision in the Nora Anne Quoirin inquest is out. Sadly, it offers little comfort for the late teen’s family.
Elsewhere in today’s newsletter, Umno and Bersatu’s relationship deteriorates; le gomen tries to justify the axing of the KL-Singapore high-speed rail project; some people are finally charged over their involvement in that nasty meat scandal; and our healthcare system buckles under the pressure of increasing Covid-19 cases.
Cover up or slip up in Klang?
Imagine getting Covid-19 IN hospital, the one place you go to get better. Well, that’s precisely what folks suspect’s been happening at a hospital in Klang. Worse, this is the first we’re all hearing about it!
In other news, the process to register and approve the use of a Covid vaccine in Malaysia begins, and our coppers are in trouble with the court for sitting on their butts for 11 years (allegedly! allegedly!). Also, is our most famous almost-PM losing support?
Holy crap! We’re worse off than China
Mother forking shirtballs! Malaysia’s now overtaken mainland China, the supposed birthplace of Covid-19, in terms of total number of infections.
In other news, our top doc releases more details on the Covid vaccination programme. Also, we’re coming in for some tax breaks after a bill is passed in the Dewan Rakyat, and some peeps are telling us not to count out Anwar Ibrahim despite his royal budget fork-up.
Speaking of Budget 2021, do you think it’s unfair some ethnic groups are getting a larger slice of the pie than others? In case you missed it, BTL’s special report last Saturday looks into the disparity and what we should do about it.
Out of the way, Budget coming through!
PM Muhyiddin Yassin’s safe (for now!) and his 2021 Budget is steamrolling ahead after Anwar Ibrahim’s big gambit to get the money plan scrapped during its third reading went down like the proverbial lead balloon.
In other news, the government agrees to open up more of the tourism sector and is doubling down on Covid-19 screenings. And sadly, Malaysia’s lost a towering icon in academia.
To pass or not to pass, that is the Budget question
Time’s almost up for Anwar Ibrahim to show who’s the bigger tauke in the Dewan Rakyat – him or PM Muhyiddin Yassin – as Budget 2021’s up for a crucial vote today. And if Moo should fall, might we just find a familiar nonagenarian back in office?
In other news, a young woman’s political success in American causes a stir here; and a Top Glove worker has sadly died from Covid-19.
Look ma, it’s Shafie!
When Health DG Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said our Covid-19 numbers would remain high for the time being, we’re not really sure if even he knew just how high they’d go. Let’s just say we’re breaking records.
Meanwhile, the auditor-general (A-G) has released his report and again, we end up smelling like sewage. Also, more ministry budgets were passed in Parliament and, the Perak sultan had some choice words during the oath-taking ceremony for the state’s new MB.