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

Front Page

English newspapers

The New Straits Times , Star and The Sun front-paged Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan’s claims that Hindraf is seeking support from terrorist groups and stoking up hatred against the government.

The Sun also featured the Transparency International Global Corruption Barometer 2007 survey results. These show that 53 percent of Malaysian respondents see the government as being effective in fighting corruption, although 63 percent believe that the incidence of graft will increase.

Malay newspapers

Utusan Malaysia and Berita Harian reported IGP Musa Hassan’s allegations linking Hindraf to foreign terrorist groups.

Utusan Malaysia further reported the launch of Sime Darby Bhd’s Bandar Gemilang low-cost housing project by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Berita Harian also reported the prime minister’s response to the findings of two polls, which show Malaysian respondents agreeing that elections are free and fair.

Tamil newspapers

All Tamil dailies - Malaysia Nanban, Tamil Nesan and Makkal Osai - gave prominent coverage for the court case involving the 31 Hindraf protesters. All three dailies also had special photo-pages of the accused persons and their anguished family members.

The dailies also reported an explanation by Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin as to why two Minnal FM radio presenters were dismissed. He said that the dismissal of V Jamuna and S Thayalan was due to indiscipline and unsatisfactory work performances and not because they had supported Hindraf.

Editorial

New Straits Times commented on the TNS/Gallup poll results that 74 percent of the 1,250 Malaysians surveyed believe that elections are free and fair. However, it questioned the sampling methodology and the ‘silent majority’ of the country.

The Sun focused on the appointment of Abdul Hamid Mohamad as the new chief justice and Zaki Azmi as Court of Appeal president, and called on the Bench to engage the Bar Council in strengthening the judiciary.

Berita Harian lauded the survey findings as proof of the Election Commission’s effectiveness in maintaining free and fair elections.

Tamil Nesan welcomed the setting up of the Talian Nur, the hotline link to enable early intervention for victims of domestic violence, child abuse, and natural disasters.