SAUDI ARABIA'S NEIGHBOURS TO BECOME TRANSIT CENTRES FOR MALAYSIANS

JEDDAH, Feb 11 (Bernama) -- National Security Council Secretary
Mohamed Tajudeen Abdul Wahab said the government would use Saudi Arabia's
neighbouring countries to send home about 3,000 Malaysians rescued from Egypt.

Currently, they are relocated in the Haj Transit Centre, Madinatul Hujjaj
here.

He said airports in Amman (Jordan), Kuwait and Dubai were identified as
transit centres for Malaysians before they were sent back on local commercial
flights.

"This is our third alternative after choosing the Changi and Jakarta
airports, two days ago," he told media personnel who departed on three Royal
Malaysia Air Force (RMAF) aircraft today.

He said Malaysian embassy officers in the respective countries would be
deployed to the airports to help ensure the safe arrival of students back home.

"Our goal is to get all Malaysians out of Jeddah before their visa expires
this Sunday. We are confident that this can be done and expect to send over
1,500 people home tomorrow," he added.

Meanwhile, Deputy Defence Minister Dr Abdul Latif Ahmad, who was at
the King Abdul Aziz Airport, bade farewell to 96 students who were returning
home with the armed forces crew involved in the rescue operation in Egypt.