PRESS DIGEST - Malaysia - July 8

Following are the main stories in Malaysian newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

ALL NEWSPAPERS

-- The Cabinet will decide today (Wednesday) on the use of English to teach Mathematics and Science, said Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

THE STAR (www.thestar.com.my)

-- Shareholders of Goh Ban Huat Bhd (GBHK.KL) will know by the end of this month just how much the company's shares are worth when the independent adviser's report comes out, the company said.

-- The dissemination of newly introduced FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI's (FBM KLCI) index values was briefly disrupted on Tuesday but the impact was hardly felt in the quiet market, MIDF-Amanah Investment Bank Bhd vice president of dealing Lim Teck Seng said.

BUSINESS TIMES (www.btimes.com.my)

-- The draft for the national energy policy, which includes a section on nuclear energy, is expected to be ready in the next three months, said Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Maximus Ongkili.

NEW STRAITS TIMES (www.nst.com.my)

-- The government is expected to reverse a policy on teaching maths and science in English at a cabinet meeting today. The measure was introduced by former premier Mahathir Mohamad and has been criticised by government and opposition supporters for disadvantaging poor, rural Malays. Although educators have warned the move could hit Malaysia's skills as it seeks to attract investment.

-- Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's trial for sodomy starts on Wednesday, although the case may get bogged down in proceedural matters as Anwar's team seeks discovery of evidence.

THE EDGE FINANCIAL DAILY (www.theedgemalaysia.com)

-- Trading interest on Bursa Malaysia (BMYS.KL) dipped to its lowest since April Fool's Day on directionless trade on Tuesday, giving root to the belief that the bear market rally could be coming to en end.

-- Sunway Holdings Bhd's SGWM.KL interest in acquiring the local concrete plants, quarries and asphalt factories owned by HeidelbergCement AG may have waned, after the latter raised the indicative sale value for these assets to $250 million (885 million ringgit) from $200 million, sources said.

THE MALAYSIAN RESERVE (www.themalaysianreserve.com)

-- Satang Holdings Bhd's SGJY.KL regularisation plan that included a proposed private placement seems to have failed and now Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd may delist the counter, post the suspension in the trading of the company's stock next Monay, July 13, sources said.

-- Axiata Group Bhd (AXIA.KL) is considering an offer Millicom International Cellular SA's assets in Cambodia and Sri Lanka, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.

THE SUN (www.sun2surf.com)

-- The government plans to turn all the Felda schemes into a national food warehouse capable of producing food on a large scale, Prime Minister Najib Razak said.

-- Cyber security incidents reported from January to May this year increased by about 25 percent to 1,247 compared with the same period last year, Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Fadillah Yusuf said.

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