Malaysia may consider sending more of its citizens to further their studies in Germany, said Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said in Berlin.

Currently, there are 634 registered Malaysian students in Germany.

“I take the point that tuition fees are free in Germany and the only barrier is language and, if you master a degree of proficiency in the German language, then sending students to Germany is very viable for us to consider.

“I will take it up and look into the possibility of diverting some students to Germany in the future,” Najib said at a dinner with Malaysians in Germany, hosted by the Malaysian Embassy in Berlin last night.

Najib also praised Malaysian students in Germany, saying they were doing very well in their respective studies and fields.

“I am proud to know that you are doing well and I am proud to know that our students are doing well in Germany,” he said.

Also present at the dinner were Najib's wife Rosmah Mansor, International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed, Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Mah Siew Keong and Malaysia’s Ambassador to Germany Zulkifli Adnan.

Najib, who is also finance minister, encouraged Malaysians residing in Germany to adopt good values, such as discipline and the sense of not giving up, and to bring these back to Malaysia to help spur the country to greater heights.

Traits the Germans possess

“I can appreciate some of the traits that the Germans possess that have led them to be one of the most successful nations, among them, being very disciplined, focused and self-disciplined and having a sense of not giving up and also working as a team,” he said.

Najib cited the German football team as an example of strong teamwork, saying this made them a team difficult to beat in every tournament.

He said Germany was a team to beat in every football tournament because "when the Germans get together it is a collection of very strong team spirit."

"These are some of the characteristics of the German people that can be assimilated into Malaysian culture.

“These are some of the things we can assimilate as our culture. We can learn from them and, being here, you must learn something. And when you come back home, you will come back home with something extra.

“We can become a stronger nation as a result of such adoption,” Najib said.

- Bernama