Published: Thursday July 19, 2012 MYT 6:05:00 PM

Tighter entry rules for foreign students

KUCHING: The Higher Education Ministry will tighten conditions for the entry of foreign students into the local private higher learning institutions to prevent the misuse of student passes and visas issued to them.

Its deputy minister Datuk Dr Hou Kok Chung said among the conditions was that foreign students must have a No Objection Certificate (NOC) and offer letter from the learning institution concerned to further their studies before a student pass would be issued to them.

"Previously, before they could further their studies in Malaysia, they could come here and apply to the institution and after they've got a place, they could apply for the student pass and visa here. That is why we've set this new condition to control their entry into our institutions."

Hou said this after meeting with representatives of private higher learning instituitions, Sarawak Zone, here, Thursday.

He said 53,009 foreign students, mostly from Iran, China and Indonesia were now studying in 506 private institutions nationwide, besides 401,795 local students.

Hou said although cases of misuse of student passes and visas by foreign students was small compared to the situation in developed countries, the ministry wanted to tackle the problem early to protect the education standard at the local higher learning institutions.

"The ministry also wants these institutions to give priority for entry to foreign students with sponsorship for their studies," he added.

On problems often created by foreign students, Hou said the ministry would cooperate closely with enforcement agencies like the police and Immigration Department to tackle these problems.

He said most of the social problems and crime cases involving forein students were committed by those who had completed their studies or those with expired student passes and visas, but wanted to stay on in Malaysia. - Bernama

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