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 highlighted the plane crash at the Phuket International Airport in Thailand, in which 88 passengers were killed and 42 were injured. The McDonnell Douglas MD-82 aircraft belonging to Thai budget airline One-Two-Go was carrying 130 passengers and five crew-members.

The Star reported that Kurnia Insurance (M) Bhd will hold bus companies partly liable for passenger deaths and property damage. This is due to the poor track record of express bus companies.

Malay newspapers

Berita Harian and Utusan Malaysia led with the plane crash in Thailand.

Chinese newspapers

Oriental Daily News reported on the 'cool' response to the 44th Malaysia Day celebrations held yesterday.

Nanyang Siang Pau and Sin Chew Daily front-paged the plane crash in Phuket.

Sin Chew Daily also had an exclusive interview with Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, in which he urged all parties not to politicise issues of national interest.

Tamil newspapers

Tamil Nesan headlined the police reports lodged against it by several associations for supporting spiritual leader Dhyan Vimal.

Malaysia Nanban led with PPP president M Kayveas' statement that Indians should give first priority to the Tamil language.

Editorial

The New Straits Times feels that Peninsular Malaysia will gain political maturity through Sabah and Sarawak as these two states have exemplified the politics of compromise.

Utusan Malaysia urged the government to provide humanitarian aid to Indonesia, especially in light of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

Berita Harian is of the opinion that Budget 2008 will be conducive to the expansion of the tertiary education sector, in tandem with the National Strategic Plan for Higher Education launched by the prime minister on Aug 27.

Both Malaysia Nanban and Tamil Nesan applauded the government for controlling the price of chicken. They said the action is timely because the country will celebrate Hari Raya, Deepavali and Christmas.

Nanyang Siang Pau commented on the 'star-rating' for all government departments, as suggested by the Auditor-General in the recently-released 2006 Report.