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

Ex-Sabah CM charged

Former Sabah chief minister Musa Aman has claimed trial to 35 charges of receiving bribes totalling US$63,293,924.88, some RM263 million at today’s exchange rates, in exchange for logging concessions.

The lead prosecutor for the case, Gopal Sri Ram, said that the MACC has investigated Musa for some time, and that he is “amazed” the then attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail did not order for Musa to be prosecuted.

Musa, meanwhile, said he is perplexed why he is being charged for "old cases" for which he had been cleared before, and vowed to clear his name.

Musa’s lawyer Amer Hamzah questioned whether the charges were a ploy to prejudice an upcoming High Court verdict on whether Musa should be the rightful Sabah chief minister.

Najib ‘sad’ Indian Blueprint in limbo

Ahead of Deepavali celebrations, former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak expressed sadness that he could not implement the Malaysian Indian Blueprint initiated under his administration.

Penang Deputy Chief Minister P Ramasamy responded saying the blueprint had come too late, and BN lacked the political will to implement it.

On another matter, the federal government announced that Hindu civil servants will get an extra day off to celebrate Deepavali – the first time it has ever done so - and this will be an annual affair.

Other Kinibites

A video purported to be of 48 migrant workers subjected to forced labour in Bentong appealing for help has surfaced, and the Immigration Department is on the case.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad who is currently visiting Japan expressed hope that Japanese universities would set up branches in Malaysia.

The Malaysian Armed Forces has defended its partial ban on the use of pantun in official functions, saying that the ban was for “strictly regimented” functions and is not meant to sideline Malay culture. Pantun will still be allowed in other functions.

Former minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of economic planning, Abdul Wahid Omar, has been appointed the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) chairperson.

Looking ahead

Today is Deepavali, and most of Malaysia will be observing a public holiday as those of the Hindu faith celebrate the Festival of Lights.

Mahathir will be continuing his working visit in Japan, where he is expected to attend the 36th Japan-Malaysia Economic Association (Jameca)-Malaysia-Japan Economic Association (Majeca) Joint Conference and Malaysian Business Forum in Tokyo.

Meanwhile, his deputy Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail will be making a one-day visit to Sibu and Julau.