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

Front Page

English newspapers

Star and New Straits Times led with news that an amendment will be made to the Medical Act 1971, allowing Malaysian students to study medicine in any institution in the world.

However, they will now have to sit for a licensing examination before being registered with the Malaysian Medical Council.

Both also feature photos on their front page of the Police Training Centre (Pulapol) in Kuala Lumpur, which is plagued with a mysterious adenovirus.  

Malay newspapers

Utusan Malaysia front-paged that parliamentarians from both side of the political divide had yesterday ‘joined forces’ to urge Bank Negara Malaysia and the Finance Ministry to review insurance premium rates for cars that are 10 years or older, which is deemed too high.  

Berita Harian highlighted that another 31 trainees from Pulapol who were infected by the adenovirus have been admitted to the intensive care unit of the Kuala Lumpur Hospital.

One trainee has died from the virus while a total 412 others are currently under quarantine.

Sinar Harian

headlined that the Selangor sultan has called for zakat (tithe) to be distributed fairly to all, regardless of their political leanings.

Chinese newspapers

Oriental Daily News and Nanyang Siang Pau headlined that foreign workers would be allowed to extend their service for a subsequent five-year period.

Sin Chew Daily

front-paged Higher Education Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin as saying that the main problem on the issue of mutually-recognised degrees between China and Malaysia is that Malaysia are required to recognise all subjects of the universities appointed by China.

China Press

headlined that car-jacking groups have appeared in Malaysia. A male person inside the car when the crime was carried out would be beaten up, while a female would be raped, if they tried to resist.

Editorial

New Straits Times

said that the rise of ‘terrorism without borders’ is reason to keep the Internal Security Act, but it should be amended to reflect contemporary needs and to ensure minimal abuse.

Berita Harian

said that the rakyat should support the government’s efforts to stabilise and grow the economy, rather than fall for the trickery of opportunists who are using rising global commodity prices for political gains.

Nanyang Siang Pau claimed that the My First House scheme launched by the government would be in vain and might not achieve any practical effect, as houses between RM100,000 and RM220,000 are hard to find, especially in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. It also urged the government to ensure this scheme would not lead to an economic bubble as people might not able to repay the loans due to the high cost of living levels.

China Press urged the government to intervene to curb housing speculation, in order to ensure the success of the My First House scheme and prevent a housing bubble.

Sin Chew Daily

claimed that it is hard to find houses which cost between RM100,000 and RM220,000. It urged the government to build more low-cost housing in order to achieve the targets for the My First House scheme. It also urged the government to ensure that applicants are qualified and able to repay the loan to prevent an economic bubble.