The government will find ways to help Malaysian students who have difficulty financing their studies in Egypt after the delegation to the country returned home, said Higher Education Minister Idris Jusoh.

He said a delegation led by the ministry’s deputy secretary-general (management) Kamel Mohamed was visiting the students in Egypt to identify their problems and to hold meetings with the parties involved.

“We want to see what’s the real problem is and identify the students who need help.

“The special delegation is expected to return home today and we will decide in a day or two on how we can help resolve this issue,” he told a press conference after launching the Universiti Teknologi Mara’s Creative Media and Technology (CMT) Hub in Shah Alam today.

Also present was UiTM vice-chancellor Professor Emeritus Dr Hassan Said.

The media reported that 150 Malaysian students studying medicine, dentistry and pharmacy in Egypt faced expulsion for failure to pay tuition fees totalling RM4.5 million.

On allegation that there were agents who promised the students government sponsorship, Idris said he was aware of it.

“I’ve heard that there were agents who promised them (students) government sponsorship, but I will wait for the delegation to return home.

“We want to study the facts first before taking any further action using the legislative channel,” he said.

Commenting on CMT hubs, which were set up in UiTM and several other public universities last year, Idris said it was the result of the unification of the Science and Technology as well as Social Science and Humanities faculties.

Idris said the UiTM CMT hub was optimising the expertise of 11 faculties namely Art and Design; Film, Theatre and Animation; Communication and Media Studies; Music; Business Management; Education; Hotel Management and Tourism; Information Management; Architecture, Planning and Surveying; Electrical Engineering; and Computer and Mathematical Sciences.

“I can see that the UiTM CMT hub has shown a positive development even though it has just operated for a year. Coupled with the university’s vision to place the CMT hub at 10th spot globally by 2025.

“We want to encourage flexible education in public universities through the CMT hubs because we don't want students to be hedged in one field only, for example Al-Quran and Sunnah students also learn information technology,” he said.

At the event, Idris also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between UiTM, Department of Museums, Electronic Sports Association, Nikon Malaysia and Global Innovation and Entrepreneur Foundation (GIEF).

The objective of the MOU was to encourage and promote cooperation in relevant areas such as the exchange of staff, industrial training for students and joint research plans.

- Bernama