PM Says Students Abroad Can Delay Return To Pursue Higher Studies
By Mohd Nasir Yusoff
KUTA (Bali), May 12 (Bernama) — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said it was all right for Malaysian students, especially those taking medical studies, to extend their stay abroad to pursue higher qualifications so long as they returned to serve their country after that.
He said the government could accept the reasons given by Malaysian student associations and representatives overseas to remain abroad to further their studies and gain working experience.
“The reasons they give are reasonable. We cannot say they are less patriotic,” he said when asked whether Malaysians studying abroad were less patriotic for refusing to return home to work in Malaysia after completing their studies.
The Prime Minister said this in response to a question by a student at a meeting with about 70 Malaysian medical students in Bali Friday.
The issue of patriotism among Malaysian students abroad had been debated following a call by Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed recently for Malaysian medical students in Ireland to return immediately after completing their studies.
Abdullah, who is here for the D-8 summit, said there would be a delay by the government in filling vacancies for medical officers if the medical students chose to remain abroad after getting their degrees.
On government-sponsored students who did not return to Malaysia, he said they included those who failed in their studies and were too embarrassed to return.
“They want to continue their studies but they will not get another scholarship. If they go home, they will be asked to repay their loans and they do not have the money. So they remain overseas,” he said.
He said there were also students who found jobs to earn money to continue their studies and later return after they passed.
However, he said, the number of such students was not many as most scholarship holders excelled in their studies and returned to Malaysia.
Also present at the meeting were Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar, Malaysian Ambassador to Indonesia Datuk Zainal Abidin Mohamed Zain and Malaysian Honorary Consul in Bali Feisal Hashim.
– BERNAMA
