KUALA LUMPUR: Umno will come up with a string of measures to assist Malaysian students in Egypt facing difficulty in financing their studies, said party information chief Tan Sri Annuar Musa today.
It was reported last week that 150 Malaysian students studying medicine, dentistry and pharmacy in Egypt faced expulsion for failing to pay tuition fees totalling RM4.5 million.
Annuar said he will meet with Umno education bureau chairman Tan Sri Dr Ibrahim Shah Abu Shah soon to discuss the matter, adding that the assistance would be delivered in stages.
“Umno sympathises with what the students (in Egypt) are going through. The party has agreed to help identify and help those most in need of assistance,” said Annuar during a press conference at Umno’s headquarters here.
He also said priority would be given to students who come from low-income families and displayed excellent academic results.
“Students whose parents earn below RM4,000 a month and perform well academically will be assisted first. We will work out a plan on how we can help them.
“We will also help the other students if we have the means to do so.”
Annuar said Umno will reach out to the students via the Kelab Umno Luar Negara and the Malaysian student association in Egypt. He also urged affected students to contact Umno directly for assistance.
When pressed on the kind of assistance Umno will make available, Annuar said the students might be allowed to come home and finish their courses in local universities.
“MSU (Management and Science University), for example, has agreed to take in students who wish to finish their studies locally... this is one of the few measures that we are considering,” he said.
On Monday, a delegation from the Higher Education Ministry began a four-day visit to Egypt to help Malaysian students facing difficulty in financing their studies.
The delegation aims to gather facts and understand the issues the students face.
They will seek to verify the information of students who need help so that assistance can be provided as soon as possible.