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

New Straits Times and the Star headlined the deadly earthquake in southwestern China that has killed 12,000 people.

NST also wrote that Malaysians and tourists spent RM67 billion on shopping last year.

TheSun reported that the federal government was studying the fleet card system as a step in removing the blanket subsidy on fuel given to the public to ensuring that it reaches to only those who genuinely need it.

Bahasa Malaysia newspapers

Utusan Malaysia led with how the government has spent RM2.2 billion on subsidiaries to control the price of rice. It also featured squash player Nicol David and national shuttlers Koo Kien Keat and Tan Book Heong as sportspersons of 2007; Umno Perlis information chief Shahidan Kassim expressed his interest to contest for vice presidency in the party and the earthquake in China.

Berita Harian wrote that the government have allocated RM803 million on subsidies to curb the rice crisis. It also reported that rain and broken roads are preventing safety operations from being carried out in the Chinese earthquake.

Tamil newspapers

Malaysia Nanban reported Education Minister Hishammuddin Hussein saying that he would readily convert Tamil schools to full-aided ones if the Pakatan Rakyat state governments are ready to provide lands for these schools.

Tamil Nesan reported on the devastating earthquake in China.

Editorial

New Straits Times wrote that the assistance to Burma was stifled by the political power of the military junta.

TheSun opined that the country must be prepared in combatting the rice shortage as climates are more unpredictable now and the plan to turn Sabah and Sarawak into two new rice bowls for the rest of the country was certainly a commendable move

Berita Harian said cooperatives and warehouse storage can help fight the rice crisis in the country.

Makkal Osai commented on the proposal by the government to give out taxe permits for individuals.

Tamil Nesan welcomed the government's decision to control the price of rice.