GOVT BRINGS BACK ALL MALAYSIAN STUDENTS FROM SYRIA

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 (Bernama) -- The government will bring back all the 220
Malaysian students registered with the Malaysian embassy in Syria following the
riots and demonstrations which persisted in that country since March.

The students, who are now safe, will be brought home in stages beginning the
middle of the month with the collaboration of the Malaysian Students Association
in Syria.

"The process is being coordinated by the Foreign Ministry and the National
Security Council together with the Malaysian Embassy in Damascus," Ministry of
Foreign Affairs (Wisma Putra) said in a statement, here Wednesday night.

The decision to bring back the students was made as a precautionary measure
for their safety besides avoiding undesired incidents.

"The embassy is always communicating with and advising Malaysian nationals
in Syria to always be wary of the current situation and to avoid places where
there are riots," Wisma Putra said.

The Foreign Ministry is also advising Malaysian nationals to postpone their
visits to Syria until the security situation in that country has improved.