More than 1,000 Kelantanese students will also be sent back to Egypt when conditions there improve, to be funded by the state government.He said the 700 were brought back to Malaysia under the Ops Piramid evacuation operation following political unrest in Egypt while the remaining did not come home as they were elsewhere or on holiday.
“However, as a stakeholder and due to the large number (sponsored students) we need to be directly involved,” he said.
Mohd Shafie said although Mara had no problems sending the students back to Egypt but he hoped that local airline companies Air Asia and Malaysia Airlines (MAS) could provide cost-effective packages.
“If possible we would like a package to reduce costs, and I believe this is possible as we are sending off almost 700 students,” he added.
Meanwhile, in KOTA BAHARU, the Kelantan PAS government has agreed to fund the cost of sending 1,006 Kelantanese students to continue their studies in Egypt following improved conditions there.
“Those involved are students who were given scholarships or loans by the federal or state governments,” he said, adding that other state governments under the opposition coalition have also agreed to send back their students to Egypt when the situation permits.
— BERNAMA
