M'sian Students In Egypt Urged Not To Discuss Contentious Issues On Social Media

SEPANG, 13 April (Bernama) -- Malaysian students in Egypt, especially those in Tanta and Alexandria have been advised not to engage in 'contentious' issues associated with the country on social media. Deputy Foreign Minister Reezal Merican Naina Merican said discussing about the issues on social media was feared would give the notion that Malaysian students were a threat to security in Egypt. "Sometimes, on social media such as Facebook, people unintentionally make comments either in Malay, Arabic or English. "I strongly urge them (Malaysian students) to be careful, especially in their interaction in social media networking," he said. Reezal Merican was met by reporters after handing over Peninsular Malay Students Coalition (GPMS) bank drafts for education loans totaling RM1.1 million to 12 final-year students in Egypt. Meanwhile, Education Malaysia Egypt (EME) distributed Safety Guidelines to all Malaysian students in Egypt on Monday (April 10) as a precautionary measure following the bombing incidents in Tanta and Alexandria on Sunday. The Ministry of Higher Education said in a statement Wednesday that the Malaysian Embassy in Egypt had also set up an operations room to monitor the situation and latest developments. All agencies under the embassy were ordered to monitor the situation and report the latest developments from areas where Malaysian students resided, namely in Cairo, Alexandria, Tanta, Zagazig, Mansoura, Fayoum and Assiut, it said. There are an estimated 11,000 Malaysian students currently in Egypt. According to international press reports, at least 44 people were killed and 100 people injured in bomb attacks at the St. George Church in Tanta and St. Marks Cathedral in Alexandria on Sunday. -- BERNAMA