Malaysiakini compares the key news and views in major newspapers. What is today's agenda for the newspapers?

Front Page

English newspapers

New Straits Times led with the statement by health director general Ismail Merican that a health curfew is only be taken as ‘a last resort'.

The Star highlighted DPM Muhyiddin's announcement that the government is mulling ‘race free froms' to do away with racial requirement in government forms.

Malay newspapers

Utusan Malaysia frontpaged the Sultan of Kedah's call for Malaysians to ‘defend the social contract' in order to prevent chaos.

Berita Harian featured an item labelling Nik Aziz as an ‘extremist', stating that the PAS spiritual advisor has gone overboard for saying that Umno members will not be going to heaven.

Chinese newspapers

Sin Chew Daily , Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press highlighted the government proposal of removing the race category in most official forms in their frontpage.

Oriental Daily

reported the government's efforts to increase its income and cut expenditure in the 2010 Budget.

These measures include urging GLCs to pay dividends, reducing operating expenses by 15 percent and limiting the number of officers who accompany ministers on overseas trips.

Tamil newspapers

Makkal Osai led with MIC president S Samy Vellu stating that he would remain as the party chief until 2015. He had previously said that he would step down at the end of his present term in 2012.

The daily also had former MIC leader V Govindaraju hitting out at Samy Vellu, once again.

Malaysia Nanban led with Samy Vellu lashing out against caste-based politics in the party, especially in the run-up to the party polls next month.

Tamil Nesan meanwhile reported that there was no hanky-panky involved in the election process of MIC Puteri wing last Sunday as alleged by some quarters in Makkal Osai yesterday.

Editorial

New Straits Times urged the MACC to ‘stay the course' in its fight to combat corruption despite the many allegations against the anti-graft body.

Utusan Malaysia said that we should not be shocked by Nik Aziz's alleged statements against Umno because that was common practice for the spiritual advisor to come up with controversial statements during elections.

Berita Harian condemned Nik Aziz's alleged statements about Umno as debasing the sanctity of Islam for political gains..

Nanyang Siang Pau said all parties should campaign peacefully and not play up senstive issues in the Permatang Pasir by-election.

Sin Chew Daily felt that government should learn from Taiwan's recent typhoon disaster's and bolster efforts to protect the environment.

Tamil Nesan welcomed the close cooperation between Malaysia and India in the tourism sector.

Malaysia Nanban commented on the sugar shortage in the country