80,000 FOREIGN STUDENTS BY 2010

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 22 (Bernama) -- The number of foreign students in the
country is expected to reach 80,000 by the year 2010, the Senate was told
Monday.

Deputy Higher Education Minister Dr Hou Kok Chung said Malaysia could have
80,000 foreign students pursuing higher education in the country as the number
of such students had been on the rise lately.

"To date, an estimated 63,000 students from 150 countries are already here
to pursue higher education," he said when replying to Senator Datuk Azian Osman
at the Upper House of Parliament sitting.

He said Indonesia led the list of countries with the highest number of
students followed by China and Iran.

"The number of Indonesian students in the country stands at 9,348 followed
by China with 9,081 students and Iran with 5,531 students," he said.

Dr Hou also said that the ministry was endeavouring to attract more
students from the developed nations to pursue higher studies in
Malaysia.

-- BERNAMA