Foreign Students' Entry Not Jeopardised Says M'sian Higher Education Minister

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 22 (Bernama) -- The move to stop issuing visas on arrival and social visit passes to foreign students would not jeopardise their flow of into the country, said Malaysian Higher Education minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin. He said this was because Malaysia offered a competitive and high standard of tertiary education. "Foreign students can easily get information on the internet and students who have studied here can become ambassadors back in their countries," he told reporters after the 2011 Tunku Medal awards ceremony and distribution of study aid under the Tunku Abdul Rahman Foundation (TAR Foundation) at the Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Memorial here Tuesday. He was commenting on a newspaper report on Tuesday which quoted Kolej Antarabangsa Yayasan Melaka chief executive officer Datuk Saroni Judi as saying the decision to stop issuing visas on arrival and social visit passes to foreign students would jeopardise their coming to Malaysia. Mohamed Khaled clarified that the decision aimed to prevent the documents from being misused. However, he made the assurance that those who received offers from public and private Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) would be provided with student visas upon application. -- BERNAMA