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).  Continued...