KUCHING: The Sarawak government has not received any instructions from the Home Ministry on the need to bring back the state-sponsored students following the current crisis in the Middle East.
Without stating the number of students involved, Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg said most of the Sarawak Foundation-sponsored students were pursuing medical and religious studies in Jordan and Egypt.
"Let's wait for the advice from the Foreign Ministry. We are always in touch, we have a Foreign Ministry Office in Sarawak," he told reporters here on Tuesday (April 16).
Meanwhile, the Higher Education Ministry in a statement on Monday (April 15) said there are 1,872 Malaysian students currently studying in Jordan, 37 in Syria and eight in Iran.
According to the ministry, discussions would be held with relevant parties on action to be taken following the conflict in the Middle East which escalated after Iran launched airstrikes on Israel last Saturday (April 13).- Bernama
