Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom talks to Malaysian student during their transit at the Madinatul Hujjaj Transit Centre in Jeddah before being flown back to Malaysia. Feb. 7, 2011. - Bernama


KUALA LUMPUR, Feb. 6 - Should the crisis in strife-torn Egypt persist, the government should devise an alternative plan for Malaysian students studying there to continue their studies at local universities.

Federation of Peninsula Malay Students Association advisor Datuk Reezal Merican Naina Merican said the students had no where to turn to, should the situation remain unabated.

"There is a possibility they might not be able continue their studies there. So the government, particularly the higher education ministry, should negotiate with the Egyptian universities involved to postpone the studies or examinations.

"We should also consider the eventuality that the students continue their studies at local universities. The students need some hope that they will be able to complete their studies,” he told Bernama here today.

He was commenting on a report that some students hoped to be allowed to continue their studies at local universities, should the situation in Egypt continue to be volatile.

Reezal Merican, who is also UMNO Youth information chief, said students sponsored by state foundations would be at a disadvantage, as compared to those sponsored by the Public Service Department and Mara.

"Students sponsored by state foundations may be at a loss and not know what to do next, if the Egyptian unrest persisted,” he noted.

Recalling his experience, Reezal Merican said he had faced a similar situation when he studied in Kuwait during the Gulf War in 1990.

"When Kuwait was invaded by Iraq on Aug. 2, 1990, my three friends and I were on a semester break in Malaysia and we had just one week before we were supposed to return to Kuwait,” he said, adding that 30 Malaysians, including students, were flown out of Kuwait to Malaysia then.

Reezal Merican said he and 10 other students, whose studies in Kuwait were disrupted, continued their education at the International Islamic University Malaysia, University Kebangsaan Malaysia and Universiti Malaya.

He said the Malaysian Government had also brought out Singaporean and Thai students from Kuwait.


Few of the Malaysian student from Alexandaria University arrive in Sepang thanking the Malaysian government to flown them out of troubled Egypt to Jeddah through Ops Piramid. Feb. 7, 2011. - Utusan/ZAKI AMIRUDDIN


Meanwhile in KUALA TERENGGANU, Terengganu planned to bring Egyptian professors to the state to teach its students, who are returning from Egypt.

Its menteri besar, Datuk Seri Ahmad Said said as Egyptian universities would be closed between six months and one year, the studies would be affected.

"We are worried about medical students as the long break would be detrimental to the studies,” he said after presenting e-Book to 772 pupils from eight schools in the Alor Limbat state constituency here today.

He said 247 Terengganu Foundation students and 317 Maidam students were being brought home in stages.

Until yesterday, 78 Terengganu Foundation students and 119 Maidam students had returned home, he said, adding that Terengganu student officer in Egypt Ahmad Kamal Abdullah, were heading a three-men team to assist Terengganu students sheltered in Jeddah.

Meanwhile, Wisma Putra said some students could have decided not to return to Malaysia as the crisis was improving.

However, the Malaysian Embassy in Cairo is ready to evacuate students who wanted to leave the country, said the Foreign Ministry in a statement tonight.

It said street protests in major cities such as Alexandria and Suez were tapering off while the Cairo unrest centred at the Tahrir Square involving President Hosni Mubarak’s and anti-government supporters.


Nur Alysya Musthafa from Cairo University in a happy mood after get to call her parents during their transit in Jeddah. Feb. 7, 2011. - Bernama

Most eating shops have resumed operation while banks opened at certain times of the day beginning today, it added.

It said until 7pm tonight, 5,799 Malaysian citizens, including students had been evacuated from Egypt and about 7,000 more would be lifted to the Tabung Haji pilgrims” transit centre in Jeddah, tomorrow.

The first batch of Malaysian citizens will from home from Jeddah by a Malaysia Airlines MH8029 and an AirAsia flight, it said, adding that the first flight was expected to touch down at the KL International Airport at about 10am. - Bernama