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 news that probes into the Kuala Dipang bridge tragedy found that the bridge was both defective and illegal.

Star headlined that PKR de-facto leader Anwar Ibrahim will face trial for sodomy for the second time on Jan 25, as his application to cancel the charges was rejected by the Kuala Lumpur High Court. It also front paged the government's plan to end sugar subsidy to promote healthy living.

Malay newspapers

Utusan Malaysia and Berita Harian led with the Kuala Lumpur High Court's decision to reject Anwar's application to cancel the sodomy charge against him.

Utusan also reported that more than 1,000 people, who call themselves the Congregation of Concerned Kelantan Citizens, gathered in front of Kelantan MB Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat's office to hand over a memorandum to call for his resignation.

Tamil newspapers

Tamil Nesan led with MIC vice-president and Human Resource Minister Dr S Subramaniam rejecting a solution proposed by the Education Ministry for SPM students who want to sit for Tamil language and Tamil literature papers.

The ministry proposed a school-based exams but MIC wants the 10-paper limit expanded to include these papers at the SPM level.

The same issue was also reported by Makkal Osai and Malaysia Nanban .

Chinese newspapers

China Press led with news of a college girl who was raped by a 'Feng Shui master'.

Nanyang Siang Pau quoted sources that claimed Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had informed MCA leaders in a private meeting last Sunday that he wanted the party to hold fresh polls before Chinese New Year which falls on Feb 14.

Oriental Daily News and Sin Chew Daily front-paged the news that the government may scrap sugar subsidy which will lead to a sugar price hike from RM1.45 per kg to RM2.45 per kg.

Editorial

New Straits Times said that the oppression of small minorities by large majorities can lead to the incubation of hateful desperation, which is the same thing feared by the 60 percent of Swiss respondents who voted to ban Muslim places of worship in Switzerland from erecting minarets.

Berita Harian noted that the government's decision to form the biotechnology company, 9Bio is a step towards a high income economy.

Utusan urged Anwar to hasten his sodomy trial, if he wants to clear his name and prove that there is a conspiracy to bring him down.

Tamil Nesan urged the government to consider appeals from the Indian community to increase the number of exam papers for the SPM to 12 to include Tamil language and Tamil literature papers.

Malaysia Nanban also touched on the same issue, stating that it supported MIC's move to include Tamil language and Tamil literature for SPM exams.

China Press urged education ministry to investigate rumours that teachers who don't understand Mandarin had been sent to teach in Chinese primary schools.