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

Front Page

English newspapers

Star led with news that Malaysia is losing patience with Indonesia after protestors burned the Jalur Gemilang and threw faeces into the compound of the Malaysian embassy in Jakarta.

New Straits Times headlined Kuala Lumpur’s call to Jakarta to take action against the demonstrators and to protect Malaysian citizens in Indonesia.

The demonstration was in response to the arrest of three Indonesian maritime officers after Indonesia had earlier detained seven Malaysian fishermen at the sea border.

Malay newspapers

Utusan Malaysia and Berita Harian front-paged the happy news that 1.24 million civil servants and 590,000 retirees will get RM500 each as duit raya from the government for the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations.

Sinar Harian headlined that the Penang khatib who read out the controversial Friday prayer sermons has given a certain television station two days to apologise before he takes legal action against them.

The television station was said to have “twisted facts” in its reports on his prayer for Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, which sparked an outcry from certain quarters.

Sinar Harian also front-paged a warning from the Customs Department that buyers, sellers and distributors of fireworks and firecrackers will be dragged to court for going against the ban.

Editorial

New Straits Times commented on the reaction to the hostage incident in the Philippines which saw the death of eight tourists from Hong Kong, saying that Manila should be careful not to give in to anger or anguish.  

Utusan said that the RM500 duit raya from the government is proof that it has the rakyat’s interests at heart, as this will not only assist civil servants and retirees but will help spur the economy through consumer spending.

Berita Harian opined that a lack of historical understanding among the rakyat is the reason that many do no understand the 1Malaysia concept.