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Key Highlights
From DAP running the FT to dogs running the malls
‘Murder’ doesn’t rattle police chief, but pressure mounts
Gov’t shortcomings acknowledged, early polls ruled out
From DAP running the FT to dogs running the malls
After the Sabah polls and the incendiary row over recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), the nation’s attention somehow wandered to two brand-new “crises” - the appointment of two Chinese politicians to helm the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories), and the sight of a Klang Valley mall welcoming pets through its doors.
Defending his cabinet reshuffle, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim took aim at critics of the appointments, particularly DAP’s Hannah Yeoh as minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories).
He said it was baffling that, in this day and age, anyone would still reject an appointment on the basis of race.
“Sometimes, I just can’t understand the level of tolerance of some people," he lamented.
Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi also weighed in, assuring detractors that having Yeoh as minister and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah’s Lo Su Fui as her deputy would not derail the Malay agenda in the Federal Territories.
Meanwhile, on the equally weighty matter of animals in malls, social media lit up with videos of pets - dogs included - strolling through Sunway Square Mall in Subang, prompting boycott calls from certain Muslim groups.
The mall subsequently beat a retreat, reversing its pet-friendly stance after the Selangor government reminded it of a prohibition against such practices.
Adding a final twist, Selangor executive councillor for local government and tourism Ng Suee Lim - who was widely reported on Wednesday as saying a ban on pets in Selangor malls remains in force - has now clarified that there are “no specific regulations governing pets in shopping malls”.
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‘Murder’ doesn’t rattle police chief, but pressure mounts
Although his police officers are now under investigation for murder over the fatal shooting of three suspected criminals last month, Malacca police chief Dzulkhairi Mukhtar remains unfazed, insisting there is no fear nor pressure.
“We do not feel pressured, work as usual, routine duties as usual. There is nothing to be afraid of,” he said.
Yet, the pressure is mounting.
Referencing the case of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu, DAP lawmaker Lim Lip Eng has joined the chorus demanding to know why the implicated officers have not been arrested, a step normally expected in murder investigations.
Meanwhile, the Attorney-General’s Chambers has come under fire from the lawyers representing the families of the three men for urging the public not to speculate.
Rajesh Nagarajan and Sachpreetraj Singh described the AGC’s call as ill-judged, internally inconsistent, and emblematic of an institutional reflex to silence scrutiny rather than confront uncomfortable truths.
They also reminded the AGC that while justice is not threatened by public debate, such rights are jeopardised when institutions become “defensive, opaque, and hostile” to the very scrutiny that “forced it to get the law right”.
For years, human rights activists and other quarters have accused the police of carrying out extrajudicial killings, but the official line has been consistent - the suspected criminals were gunned down in self-defence.
For the first time in the Malacca case, however, an audio recording has emerged that could turn the tables.
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Govt shortcomings acknowledged, early polls ruled out
Last month’s Sabah state election saw Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s Pakatan Harapan coalition nearly wiped out, with his party securing only a single seat through a Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) parachute candidate, while DAP was completely eliminated.
As alarm bells rang - louder than ever at DAP’s headquarters - the party announced, following an emergency central leadership meeting, a six-month deadline for the Madani government to implement reforms.
After chairing the first meeting of his reshuffled cabinet, Anwar described the session as marked by a sense of humility, with the government acknowledging its weaknesses and recognising the growing public expectations for improvement.
However, he also noted that being in a unity government comes with certain limitations.
“Having said that, am I fully satisfied with the performance? They can ask about me too. I also have my limitations. Given a chance, if I had full authority, I would certainly do it differently, but I am in a coalition. I want to make sure that the government is stable. It’s also important,” he said.
Anwar, who formed an alliance with Harapan’s archnemesis BN after the 2022 general election resulted in a political deadlock, also appeared to rule out an early national polls next year, stating that there is still a long way to go.
“I have not thought about elections. I am now focusing on how we continue to implement reforms and alleviate the problems faced by the rakyat, particularly with the higher cost of living,” he added.
There have been calls for the general elections to be held in early 2027, alongside the Malacca and Johor state elections, which are also due then.
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