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

Malaysia-Israel 'affair' questioned

Is Malaysia having 'an affair' with Israel, now that Israel's high-ranking diplomats are allowed into the country, Amanah's Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad asked.

A report in the Jerusalem Post said that Israel had to apply "extensive diplomatic pressure" - all the way up to the United Nations' secretary-general Antonio Guterres' office - to gain access to the event in Malaysia.

Two political analysts told Bernama that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has the upper hand in winning the forthcoming general election, with BN even touted to regain the two-thirds majority.

In his Chinese New Year message, Najib gave his assurance that no Malaysian would be left behind in the nation's progress.

Dr M talks politics in hospital

Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is recovering from a chest infection at the National Heart Institute, talks about Bersatu and the country's politics even in the ward, revealed Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin.

Muhyiddin told Jasa's Puad Zarkashi not to link him to the National Feedlot Corporation controversy just because the project was signed when he was the agricultural minister.

Voters in rural areas may start supporting Pakatan Harapan if they see the coalition's achievements in Selangor and Penang, Selangor Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali said.

Azmin said he would no longer 'tolerate' PAS in Selangor and would not have any political pact with the Islamist party.

Other Kinibites

Fuel prices went down between 10 sen and 12 sen across the board a day before the Chinese New Year.

MIC president Dr S Subramaniam said it was inappropriate for Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan to reveal that deceased teenager M Vasanthapiriya had an alleged history of self-harm.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission questioned Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy for six hours over his role and involvement in the state's RM6.3 billion undersea tunnel project.

Military veterans NGO Persatuan Patriot Kebangsaan (Patriot) said a workshop it is set to hold for youths will instil better patriotism and unity than the government's "holiday camps" under the National Service Training Programme (NS).

Looking ahead

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will be having a range of programmes at the Home Ministry in Putrajaya.