Malaysiakini compares the key news and views in major newspapers. What is today's agenda for the English, Bahasa, Tamil and Chinese paper?

Front Page

English newspapers

Both the New Straits Times and the Star led with the government's announcement that women civil servants can take up to five years unpaid leave to look after their children.

New Straits Times followed up on its series of reports on the demolition of the 70-year old Sungai Buloh leprosy settlement, which has been put on hold.

The Star 's frontpage contained a report that food and pharmaceutical products from China have been placed on high alert after some of them were found to contain harmful elements and violated specifications.

The Sun reported on the speech of Raja Muda of Perak Dr Nazrin Shah, who said the monarchy has a role to play as the guardian of good governance and the democratic process as mandated by the Federal Constitution.

Malay newspapers

Both Utusan Malaysia and Berita Harian also reported on the announcement of five-year unpaid maternity leave granted to women civil servants.

They also reported on the new directive from Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan that all plainclothes policemen on patrol will have to be accompanied by a uniformed police inspector.

Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, reported Utusan Malaysia , will undergo an elective coronary bypass surgery at the National Heart Institute today.

Chinese newspapers

Both Sin Chew Daily and Nanyang Siang Pau highlighted government decision to give five-year maternity leave to female government servants.

Oriental Daily reported that the Health Ministry would adopt a strict monitoring of food and pharmaceutical products from China.

Tamil newspapers

Malaysia Nanban also led with Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's announcement of the extra maternity benefits for working women.

The daily also had a lead story on lawyer S Sivanesan blasting ex-judge VC George for calling for the abolition of Tamil schools in this country.

Tamil Nesan 's lead story was on a police report lodged by MIC Youth against Makkal Osai for flouting a government suspension by using a weekly magazine to operate as Makkal Osai .

Editorial

Commenting on the demolition of the Sungai Buloh leprosarium, the New Straits Times lamented that heritage conservation has more often than not been knee-jerk reactions to the destruction of built historical landscape rather than the long-term commitment to protect the historical legacy.

The Sun called for Malaysia to play its role in Bali this December towards charting the course for the future of environmental protection and to deliberate on ways to tackle climate change by deliberating on new reductions to greenhouse gases.

Utusan Malaysia , commenting the death of teenager Mohd Rafi Ameer while on the last leg of his National Service training, called for those managing the camps not to neglect the welfare of trainees.

Berita Harian called for school authorities and parents to play their respective roles more effectively instead of making law suits the first choice of settling disputes over student discipline.

Malaysian Nanban regretted the demolition of the historic leprosy colony in Sungai Buloh. It said that the contractors could have waited for the outcome of a meeting between several ministries on the matter before proceeding with tearing down the settlement.

Sin Chew Daily said police should not provide discount for traffic summons frequently.

Oriental Daily opined consumers' health should be protected by strengthening the monitoring process of food quality.

Nanyang Siang Pau discussed the right of the Chinese primary school committees in handling tenders for canteens.