MALAYSIAN STUDENTS IN INDONESIA ADVISED TO AVOID PROVOCATION

SERDANG (Malaysia), Sept 10 (Bernama) -- Higher Education Minister Mohamed
Khaled Nordin today reminded Malaysian students in Indonesia to exercise caution
and not do anything of a provocative nature owing to the presence of groups
seeking out Malaysians to vent their anger over the alleged Malaysian theft of
Indonesian cultural elements.

He said the students should avoid areas which were the focus of these groups
to "sweep" Malaysians, such as Jalan Diponegoro in Jakarta.

"We have given advice, views and guidelines to our students there, and we
hope they will stay safe. They must avoid getting involved in situations that
will lead to trouble; even walking in big groups could be regarded as being
provocative," he told reporters after launching the "Prime Minister's Personal
Message in Conjunction with Aidilfitri" programme at the Faculty of Medicine of
Universiti Putra Malaysia, here.

Mohamed Khaled was asked to comment on the "Sweeping Malaysia" activity of a
group which carried sharpened bamboo sticks and sought out Malaysians along
Jalan Diponegoro on Tuesday.

The group had claimed dissatisfaction over the Indonesian government's
so-called soft stand against Malaysia over the alleged Malaysian theft of the
Balinese Pendet dance.


Malaysia has been accused of stealing the dance as it had been featured by
accident in a tourism promotion video clip produced by a private company and
broadcast over Discovery Channel.

On Islamic Science University of Malaysia (USIM) having asked a lecturer to
resign to safeguard its reputation, Mohamed Khaled said the university had
autonomy in the matter.

"We (the ministry) have asked for an investigation based on the principles
of justice," he said.

The 35-year-old lecturer claimed that he was forced to resign after
passing
only four out of 157 law students of the university and that he could no longer
stand the pressure from the university on him to give students "compassionate
marks".

-- BERNAMA