Good morning, here's what you need to know today.

Key Highlights

• DAP's multiracial future
  
  
• New Covid-19 epicentre?
  
  
• MRT3 funding
  
  

DAP’s multiracial future

DAP's Anthony Loke acknowledged what the party rarely spoke about publicly - the tussle between the pro-multiracial and pro-Chinese factions in DAP.

Loke said he did not discount efforts that were being made to oust DAP leaders who want the party to become more multiracial.

Conservative forces in the party have grown stronger as they rode on the Chinese backlash from 2019 over the introduction of three pages of Jawi lessons for Year 4 students, putting the pro-multiracial faction, which defended the policy, on the defensive.

DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang was among those who had put himself in the crossfire to defend the policy as he urged Malaysians to set aside their mutual fear.

Lim has often been able to play peacemaker as he commanded respect from both factions, much like how the late PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat mediated between the conservatives and progressives in his party.

But as the 80-year-old Iskandar Puteri MP makes way for younger leaders to take charge, the divide may become more apparent.

DAP’s June election will be pivotal for the party’s future, much like PAS’ 2015 party election, which saw the conservatives wipe out the progressives, months after Nik Aziz’s passing.

HIGHLIGHTS

	DAP feud exposes hypocrisy over chauvinism - MCA  MCA veep said DAP exploited communal sentiment.
	Ronnie Liu: I'm no chauvinist He says critics have personal prejudice.
	DAP leaders blast Liu for 'toxic, chauvinist' comment Liu had said DAP should not dilute its 'Chineseness'

New Covid-19 epicentre?

The Covid-19 situation in Sarawak continues to deteriorate as it hit another record high of new daily infections.

The Health Ministry began mobilising personnel to Sarawak to help contain the virus.

The epicentre of the third Covid-19 wave began in Sabah amid the state election in September last year and by early November, the epicentre had shifted to the Klang Valley.

Now the focus is on Sarawak, which is more vulnerable than the Klang Valley due to its challenging terrain and some rural communities do not have good access to healthcare.

In January, Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah cited outbreaks in rural parts of Sarawak as the "greatest fear".

HIGHLIGHTS

	Badminton ace misses Covid-19 vaccination Lee Zi Jia was ill.
	K'tan will aid traders hit by Ramadan bazaar cancellation It has been cancelled as a precaution against Covid-19.
	People venturing out at near pre-pandemic levels This is according to mobile tracking data.

MRT3 funding

The government plans to seek partial private funding for the revived MRT3 circle line project, compared to the fully-government funded MRT1 and MRT2 projects.

Details of the private sector's involvement are yet to be revealed and it is unclear if ticket prices will be affected.

In January, Malaysia scrapped the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail link, citing that it was no longer financially viable.

Meanwhile, the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project is still at an impasse, with a Selangor assemblyperson accusing Putrajaya of trying to push through a revision without providing adequate justification.

HIGHLIGHTS

	Najib’s defence wraps up submission in SRC appeal Prosecution to reply next.
	'Trial judge appeared 'motivated' to hold Najib to account' Najib's lawyers argue this in the Court of Appeal.
	T'ganu PAS extends an olive branch to Umno They hope to resume seat negotiation talks.

 

A daily glance at Covid-19

• 1,767 new cases yesterday (April 13).
  
  
• Twelve deaths, four of which are in Sarawak. This is the highest number of new deaths since Feb 26.
  
  
• Active cases at 16,300, rising from 15,059 in just three days. Prior to that, it was in the 14,000 range for 23 days.
  
  
• For trends on daily cases, tests, hospital beds capacity, vaccination progress and more, follow our Covid-19 tracker.
  
  

What else is happening?

• Parts of Kuala Lumpur were hit by flash floods after a heavy evening downpour.
  
  
• The government is aggressively containing Covid-19 in Sabah, announcing more enhanced MCO locations in the state but police are having to deal with people fleeing these zones.
  
  
• Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri said his trip to Saudi Arabia was fully sponsored after a video of his entourage on a private jet went viral on social media.
  
  
• The Health Ministry yesterday took down a sexual harassment article on its education portal after complaints of victim-blaming.
  
  
• Putrajaya was urged to block the merger between telco giants Digi and Celcom after they admitted that such a merger would not be possible in Bangladesh due to anti-competition laws.
  
  
  

HIGHLIGHTS

	Two on death row want to include Hansard in review application It is to include the govt's position on death penalty abolition.
	Jawi to monitor Muslims who don't respect Ramadan This includes those who do not fast.
	Husband accused of beating newly-wed wife This was after she went into a swimming pool.

What are people saying?

	The fall of Pakatan Harapan govt By Senator Liew Chin Tong.
	Ideological void keeps rearing its head By Terence Netto
	Joy and satisfaction in doing national service By R Nadeswaran

KINI LENS