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

Front Page

English newspapers

Both New Straits Times and Star headlined Human Resources Minister Dr S Subramaniam’s announcement that new employers and prospective maids will have to attend the ministry’s compulsory half-day course effective from the end of next month, to improve working relations.

Malay newspapers

Utusan Malaysia

front-paged Syariah Court judge Mohamed Yusoff Awang’s show-cause letter to Kelantan consort Tengku Anis Abdul Hamid for blocking the execution of an ex-parte order by the sultan’s second wife, Elia Suhana Ahmad.

Universiti Sains Malaysia vice-chancellor Dzulkifli Abdul Razak announced that a campus will be opened in India. It is the first public university to open a campus abroad, reported Berita Harian .

Chinese newspapers

Sin Chew Daily frontpaged the introduction of a half-day course for employers and maids to learn about their rights and responsibilities to one another.

Nanyang Siang Pau led with the exclusive news that the Education Ministry is studying a new system in which primary school students who do not master the 3Rs in the first three years of education, will be retained. The report quoted Deputy Education Minister Wee Ka Siong.

China Press reported that 15 villagers in Jeli, Kelantan, killed a retired soldier who attempted to rape a 17-year-old girl.

Oriental Daily News speculated that there could be five by-elections in the Year of the Tiger due to health or criminal cases. Three of these are parliamentary seats - Batu, Titiwangsa and Keningau - while the other two are the state seats of Kota Seputeh and Galas.

Tamil newspapers

Tamil Nesan headlined the continuing conflict in the People’s Progressive Party over the rightful president - M Kayveas and sacked vice-president T Murugiah are both claiming the post.

Makkal Osai reported that Senator A Kohilan Pillay had revealed that 1,450 Malaysians are languishing in prisons abroad.

Malaysia Nanban led with Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein pledging transparency in  investigations into the fatal shooting of S Murugesh by police in Kluang.

Editorial

New Straits Times

said Internet users should be cautious in completing transactions online in view of the rising number of scams.

Utusan Malaysia had praise for women’s mental and physical strength, following Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s announcement on the creation of a women’s leadership chair.

Berita Harian urged parents to support their children’s involvement in sports.

China Press agreed with Najib’s statement that the middle path is the way to eliminate extremism and to lead Malaysia to harmony and prosperity. It urged Malaysians to support the 1Malaysia campaign and other government initiatives.

Nanyang Siang Pau

commented that the construction of prisons is not a healthy phenomenon because it utlises taxpayers’ money and is a reflection of the rising crime rate. It urged the relevant parties to resolve the root causes of problems through education.

Sin Chew Daily discussed the importance and functions of Socso.

Malaysia Nanban

said more skilled workers are needed to push up national revenue from productivity.

Makkal Osai

highlighted that Malaysians lost RM990,000 to con artistes last year.