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

All three newspapers covered the arrival of the Olympic torch in Kuala Lumpur last night.

New Straits Times headlined Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s call for concerted efforts to resolve the global food crisis.

Star led with senior parliamentarians criticising about 29 MPs for not submitting their questions for the new session of Parliament.

TheSun highlighted a day of firsts - ex-Gerakan deputy secretary-general Lee Kah Choon is the first to accept a post from Pakatan Rakyat in Penang; Sungai Pinang state representative Teng Chang Khim is the first non-Malay Speaker of the Selangor legislative assembly and Taman Medan state representative Haniza Talha is the first woman deputy speaker.

It also reported that passengers have been paying RM2-6 in airport tax over the past six years, due to a lopsided deal between the government and the Express Rail Link Services Sdn Bhd that operates the Express Rail Link.

Malay newspapers

Both Utusan Malaysia and Berita Harian featured the arrival of the Olympic torch.

Utusan also reported that Abdullah has asked companies under Permodalan Nasional Bhd to invest in the local food industry to increase food production, and that Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Said has requested the federal government to return oil royalties to the state.

Tamil newspapers

Tamil Nesan led with MIC president S Samy Vellu as saying that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is not to be solely blamed for the ruling coalition’s defeats in the March 8 general election.

The daily also reported that ailing IPF president MG Pandithan will be replaced as the party chief by his wife Jayasree Pandithan in an acting capacity with immediate effect.

Malaysia Nanban reported a peace protest undertaken by the Indian members of PKR in Kedah after being overlooked for council posts.

The daily also reported that PPP’s Youth wing chief T Murugiah would most probably be made a senator.

Editorial

New Straits Times says Abdullah has to make good on his promise to defeat corruption by making Anti-Corruption Agency independent.

TheSun has laid down several steps for the ACA to be rehabilitated in order to be truly independent.

Berita Harian says consumers need to change eating habits in order to fight rising rice prices caused by imported foods.

Malaysia Nanban welcomed the assurance given by the Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak that the Indian community in the country will never be neglected by the government. It also said that the government should study as to why the community rejected BN in the March 8 general election.