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 Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s statement that mutual trust is the most important element in developing his country’s solid ties with Malaysia.

New Straits Times

highlighted the statement by the Asian Development Bank that warned that world food prices that surged 30 percent in the first two months of the year threaten to push millions of Asians into extreme poverty and cut economic growth.

Malay newspapers

Sinar Harian

headlined the announcement by Selangor exco member Hasan Mohamed Ali that local and foreign artists who had been involved in immoral activities were banned from performing in Selangor.

Berita Harian

highlighted the need to eliminate street vendors operating outside schools to address the obesity and diabetes problems among students.

Utusan Malaysia front-paged the testimony by Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer Ahmad Shafik Abdul Rahman who claimed that MACC officers were threatened during their investigation of the Teoh Beng Hock case.

The Malay daily also quoted PAS secretary-general Mustafa Ali as saying that PKR deputy president Azmin Ali was under pressure and lacked endurance, compared with PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim and president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

Chinese newspapers

Both Sin Chew Daily and Oriental Daily headlined the statement by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao who described Malaysia as a “good brother and close neighbour” of China, and the bilateral relationship between these two nations has a bright future.

China Press

led with a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) official’s testimony that the commission did not find any evidence of alleged irregularities in the disbursement of Selangor government funds by executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah.

Nanyang Siang Pau front-paged that China Construction Bank is believed to acquire domestic bank EON Capital Bhd.

Editorial

Berita Harian

urged parents to educate their children about a healthy diet in line with the government’s initiative to regulate food sold by school canteens.

Utusan Malaysia urged the government to step up its efforts in promoting the usage of the national language. It said the local governments should tighten regulations and take stern action against business premises which fail to use the Malay language on their advertisement boards.

New Straits Times discussed the pronouncement of poco-poco (line dance) as haram by religious leaders and commented that limiting Muslims’ socialisation through cultural and entertainment activities can impair integration. The daily said Malaysia, unlike most Muslim countries, wants to be, and is, known for its modern brand of Islam.

Sin Chew Daily welcomed the visit of Wen Jiabao to Malaysia as it will strengthen bilateral relationships for the mutual benefit of both nations.

Nanyang Siang Pau urged the government to have stern regulations on all beauty products, plastic surgery and unscrupulous profiteers. The daily encouraged the public to develop a healthy diet in order to achieve a healthy life.

China Press was of the view that the government must let the people choose whether they want to use the controversial MyEmail service or not.