Malaysia has told some 270 private colleges enrolling foreign students to reapply for new licenses in a bid to curb rampant abuse of student visas, according to media reports today.

Private education department deputy director-general Hassan Hashim was quoted by the New Straits Times as saying the colleges had six months to get new licenses, failing which they would be barred from taking in foreign students.

The new ruling came after joint raids by the authorities revealed "rampant and blatant" abuse of international student visas, he said.

Some colleges were found selling student visas for a few thousand ringgit each to syndicates, which used it to bring in foreigners, mainly from China, to work.