Parliament limits MPs' presence in sitting and other news you may have missed

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

1. The Dewan Rakyat has moved to restrict MPs’ attendance in its chambers to no more than 80 people at any given time - except during voting - in a bid to further reduce the risk of Covid-19, while the government considers holding a virtual parliamentary sitting.

2. Several Opposition MPs said the restrictions struck a balance between keeping Parliament running while mitigating the pandemic risk, but others clamoured for a virtual sitting. Meanwhile, the Health Ministry recommended that those working at the Parliament complex should get tested for Covid-19 every two weeks.

3. Auditor-general Nik Azman Nik Abdul Majid has voiced concern over new government borrowings made in the 2019 financial year to settle debts, while experts anticipate an expansionary budget to be tabled in Parliament today in face of unprecedented health and economic challenges.

4. The Sarawak State Assembly session, originally slated to be held from Nov 9 to 18, will only be held for five days until Nov 13 due to the rising number of Covid-19 cases in the state.

5. The Health Ministry said the conditional movement control order is imposed depending on its risk assessments, and not solely on whether an affected area has become a Covid-19 red zone. Parit Buntar in Perak, Jimah in Port Dickson and Rasau in Terengganu are the latest sub-districts to come under restrictions, while the restrictions on Mukim 12 in Penang would affect 150,000 people.

6. The student group University of Malaya Association of New Youth is being investigated under the Sedition Act 1948 for its article on the role of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in national affairs.

7. Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah and Mengkibol assemblyperson Chew Chong Sin have urged the Election Commission to try expanding postal and early voting facilities for the forthcoming Batu Sapi by-election, while the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Takiyuddin Hassan said the government is willing to consider appealing for an emergency proclamation to defer an election.

8. The Child Rights Innovation and Betterment Foundation has opposed the use of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 against a teenage couple, saying it goes against the spirit of the law that is intended to target sexual predators.

9. The Embassy of China in Kuala Lumpur has denied a report linking Beijing's promise to give priority access to Covid-19 vaccines with the release of six Chinese fishing vessels detained over alleged encroachment.

10. The Kelantan government will move to increase allowances for state assemblypersons and exco members by between RM3,000 and RM5,000 per month.