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

Red-shirts at Malaysiakini

Sungai Besar Umno chief Jamal Md Yunos, along with 100 red-shirts, went to Malaysiakini office in Petaling Jaya to demand answers over a grant the news portal received from Open Society Foundations (OSF), which is linked to American billionaire George Soros.

When met by Malaysiakini editors, he requested entry and was invited into the building where he was told over coffee that the website had already given a detailed explanation on the matter.

Decrying OSF grants as amounting to foreign intervention, Jamal however insisted that the RM2.6 billion received by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak was “different” as it was for an “Islamic government”.

OSF grants probed

Cops will record statements from Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah and Merdeka Center programme director Ibrahim Suffian over OSF-linked funding that their organisations reportedly received.

Police have also formed a special team to investigate Malaysiakini over the OSF-linked grants. Inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar said that this will be under Section 124C of the Penal Code for activities “detrimental to parliamentary democracy”.

Meanwhile, Communication and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak said that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is investigating complaints filed against Bersih, Merdeka Center and Malaysiakini for allegedly receiving OSF funding.

Quizzed about the probe, Maria turned the tables on those accusing Bersih of allowing foreign intervention, by questioning the source of the RM2.6 billion donation to Najib.

Street demonstration ban

Johor’s Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar has decreed that any form of street demonstration would not be allowed in the state as such action could affect public order.

Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said that since Bersih and the red-shirts are not registered under the Societies Act, all activities they organise, including any planned rallies or street demonstrations, are banned.

More Kinibites

Selangor residents will be able to report potholes directly to municipal councils by using navigation application Waze by year-end, said Waze Google Malaysia sales manager, Edward Ling.

Thirteen years after stepping down as prime minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamad will soon be in Parliament again - this time, to attend a meeting organised by opposition MPs.

There will be no toll hikes next year, Works Minister Fadillah Yusof said, adding that the government will have to pay RM59.97 million in compensation to highway concessionaires because of this.

Looking ahead

Kuala Lumpur mayor Mohd Amin Nordin Abd Aziz will host a dialogue with MPs on DBKL’s budget at Institut Latihan Dewan Bandaraya’s Dewan Perdana Mestik today.

Nine of the 11 parliamentary seats in Kuala Lumpur are under the opposition.

Bersih chief Maria will have her statement recorded by the police this morning over allegations that the polls reform movement received OSF funding.