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

Front page

English newspapers

The two major decisions made at the Umno supreme council meeting yesterday - to accept palace-backed Ahmad Said as the new Terengganu menteri besar and the party polls will not be deferred - were featured on all the front-pages of the Star, New Straits Times and theSun .

theSun also front-paged an open letter from former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad who spoke up on the controversy surrounding the appointment of the Terengganu menteri besar, which he said had never happened during the premiership of the four previous premiers.

He argued the palace’s unhappiness could be linked to the issues of the wang ehsan and how mega projects costing billions of ringgit “went to one person” who is rumoured to link to members of the first family.

Mahathir in the same letter also said he did not feel obliged to apologise for his role in the 1988 judicial crisis.

Malay newspapers

Berita Harian and Utusan Malaysia highlighted the decisions at the Umno supreme council yesterday.

Utusan also reported that Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Bernard Dompok has refused to comment on rumours that he was ready to quit his post.

Tamil newspapers

Malaysia Nanban quoted an MIC division leader calling for both S Samy Vellu and S Subramaniam to give up their pursuit of revamping MIC after the humiliating defeat in the general election. Instead M Krishnan is calling for MIC deputy president G Palanivel to be given the chance to lead the party.

Makkal Osai reported that the Penang state government would be nominating an Indian for senatorship.

Tamil Nesan had a photograph story of MIC president S Samy Vellu attending an engagement ceremony in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

Editorial

NST called for the setting up of a judicial appointment commission to deal with the appointment and promotion of judges. It said the commission will help to “erase the distinct impression that political influence can be used with regard to the appointment of judges”.

Star editor-in-chief Wong Chun Wai wrote in his column that the government must be prepared to show it is more open and ready to make radical reforms. Among others, Wong said the government should try to remove the Printing Presses and Publications Act.

theSun hailed the Selangor state government’s decision to review hillslope development projects and called on other state government to show similar respect for the natural heritage.

Berita Harian called on Umno members to stay united to strengthen the party.

Malaysia Nanban commented that antiquated state laws that gave powers to the royal households should be amended to avoid conflicts between political parties and the royalty.