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 dedicated their front pages to Japan’s escalating nuclear crisis after the earthquake and tsunami. New Straits Times reported that a helicopter failed to drop water on the most troubled reactor, while Star carried the rare address by Japan’s emperor on the crisis.

Malay newspapers

Sinar Harian led with its exclusive interview with Perak Mufti Harussani Zakaria. Harussani, who vowed to continue to voice out against what he thinks is not right despite criticism from many quarters.

Berita Harian reported the statement by Science, Technology, and Innovation Minister Maximus Ongkili that it is impossible for the radiation released from Japan nuclear plants to reach Malaysia.

Utusan Malaysia

also front-paged Japan's nuclear crisis, saying that it is getting out of control.

Chinese newspapers

The Chinese dailies also focused on the radiation leak in Fukushima, Japan.

According to Oriental Daily News , excessive radiation had been detected in Tokyo which is more than 200 km from Fukushima. Foreigners tried to leave the country while local citizens were scared to leave their shelters.

Nanyang Siang Pau

reported that the nuclear crisis in Fukushima is now ranked 6, which is just slightly lower than the situation during the Chernobyl disaster.

Sin Chew Daily highlighted that people were scrambling to leave Tokyo. Flights to Tokyo from all around the world had been cancelled or re-routed.

China Press headlined the Foreign Ministry's refusal to evacuate Malaysians from Japan although many countries have started to do so. Malaysians in Japan were forced to grab air tickets to leave the country. Foreign Minister Anifah Aman claimed that there are no Malaysians within the danger zone and hence evacuation is not necessary.

Editorial

New Straits Times said that although Japan's nuclear crisis has raised fears over Malaysia's plan to build nuclear plants, what is important is to investigate the risks in a level-headed manner rather than in a knee-jerk fashion.

Berita Harian

called on state governments especially those ruled by Pakatan Rakyat to set aside political difference sand give cooperation to the federal government in ensuring clean water supply in the country.

Utusan Malaysia

lauded the various measurements taken by the government to ensure the poor are able to own houses in the country.

China Press urged businesspeople not to take the opportunity to raise the prices of goods during the nuclear crisis, but to learn from the Japanese businesspeople who provided free services during harsh times.

Sin Chew Daily

urged the government to improve the country’s system and structure of production to reduce the economic dependence on Japan and other countries.

Nanyang Siang Pau urged the government to learn from Japan's nuclear crisis and not to carry out nuclear energy power generation recklessly, although Malaysia needs to develop alternative energy  resources to meet the increasing power demand.