TIGHTER VISA REQUIREMENT FOR STUDENTS FROM CERTAIN COUNTRIES

SHAH ALAM (Malaysia), Nov 26 (Bernama) -- The entry requirement for foreign
students should be tightened where the visa on arrival (VOA) is only given to
students of certain countries to ensure that only those who are truly qualified
are allowed to further their studies in Malaysia.

Higher Education Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin said such a
measure was crucial to ensure that the objective of turning Malaysia into a
regional educational hub was achieved besides curbing social problems among
foreign students.

"Usually students from certain countries use the VOA citing reasons that
they want to check the universities and colleges that can accept them as
students. We must scrutinise the records of students from certain countries
beforehand and the Immigration Department should not give them the VOA.

"These students should obtain the visa while they are still in their country
of origin besides having obtained an offer from universities or colleges in
Malaysia before being accepted into the country," he said at a media conference
after opening the World Islamic Economic Foundation (WIEF) Forum at the MARA
University of Technology (UiTM), a Malaysian public university, here Wednesday.

Mohamed Khaled said his ministry might adopt the No Objection Certificate
(NOC) system for students from certain countries which would enable them to
enter this country after obtaining the qualification recognition from their
countries of origin.

-- BERNAMA