Differences over MCO relaxation, and other news you may have missed

KINI ROUNDUP | Key headlines you may have missed yesterday, in brief.

1. Health and security authorities seem to have taken contradictory stances regarding the recent relaxation of the movement control order (MCO), while the Covid-19 tally in Malaysia now exceeds 80,000 cases and 400 deaths.

2. Selangor Covid-19 Task Force chief Dzulkefly Ahmad said the surge in Covid-19 cases in the state is mainly driven by outbreaks at workplaces, but warned against travelling as these cases could spill into the community.

3. A study of online rental listings has revealed the extent of overt racism in the property market, which has put some prospective renters at an unfair disadvantage.

4. Terengganu health authorities have urged visitors from Covid-19 red zones to contact them for a risk assessment, after many infected people and close contacts turned up in the state from beyond its borders.

5. Three Perak PAS assemblypersons publicly apologised for failing to appear before the state ruler when instructed to do so on Tuesday, while PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang is seeking an audience with Sultan Nazrin Shah.

6. The newly-minted Perak Menteri Besar Saarani Mohamamd said he will propose five more candidates for state executive councillors to the sultan as soon as possible.

7. The Penang government has welcomed the Kedah government’s assurance that it would not explore the Ulu Muda water catchment area for rare earth elements, while Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor joked about diverting the waters of Sungai Muda if Penang doesn’t pay for it.

8. The prosecution in Rosmah Mansor's corruption trial has concluded its corruption case against her, and the defence has until Dec 28 to file submissions.

9. Klang MP Charles Santiago has proposed that the government subsidises rental costs for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to enable them to survive the Covid-19-stricken economy.

10. Five people including a deputy director-general have been remanded over a bribery case involving the transport of heavy grade oil using a ship that is unsuited for the purpose.