PRESS DIGEST - Malaysia - Aug 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 Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on Thursday freed Parti Keadilan Rakyat de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim on a 20,000 ringgit personal bond after he pleaded not guilty to a charge of sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan in June.

THE STAR (www.thestar.com.my)

-- Indonesia's market regulator Bapepam is apparently showing further signs of easing its previous tough stand on a new ruling that requires companies to sell down 20 percent of a local takeover target to the public within two years.

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

-- Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak has called on the Bar Council to hold its forum on religious conversion behind closed doors.

BUSINESS TIMES

-- Malayan Banking Bhd's (Maybank) (MBBM.KL: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) top official is understood to be meeting with Indonesia's banking regulator, possibly on Monday, to discuss its stalled purchase of Bank Internasional Indonesia (BII).

-- Malaysian companies may issue 35 billion ringgit worth of bonds this year, instead of the 40 billion ringgit forecast earlier, RAM Holdings Bhd said in a statement.

THE EDGE FINANCIAL DAILY (www.theedgedaily.com.my)

-- Scomi Group Bhd (SCOI.KL: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) has proposed to the government to expand the rolling stock of the existing monorail to cater for the increasing passenger volume, President of Scomi Engineering Hilmy Zaini said.

THE MALAYSIAN RESERVE (www.themalaysianreserve.com)

-- UMW Holdings Bhd (UMWS.KL: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) is unfazed by the delay in the commissioning of its 575.67 million ringgit transmission pipe processing plant in China as the operator, Zhongyou BSS (Qinhuangdao) Petropipe Co Ltd, has already locked in significant orders, its group Managing Director, Abdul Halim Harun said.

THE SUN (www.sun2surf.com)

-- Malayan Banking Bhd's (Maybank) (MBBM.KL: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) decision to acquire Bank Internasional Indonesia (BII) was taken in the best interest of the bank and its shareholders, the bank said in a statement.  Continued...