The evacuation of Malaysian citizens in Egypt will be decided by the National Security Council (NSC) on its observation of the situation there, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said today.
He said NSC secretary Datuk Mohamed Thajudeen Abdul Wahab was now in Egypt to monitor the situation before deciding on the next course of action.
As for the 3,300 Malaysian students there, he said they had been evacuated to safer locations since before the fasting month.
"So the decision on the evacuation process of Malaysians in Egypt will depend on NSC as they are on the ground there.
"When we watch Al Jazeera, CNN, the situation seems bad, but when we go there only certain areas are affected," he told reporters at the Rural and Regional Development Ministry's open house at Wisma Felcra here.
On the evacuation process, Hishammuddin said Transport Ministry and the Defence Ministry would decide whether to use commercial flights or the Royal Malaysian Air Force aircraft.
Questioned whether Jeddah would be the staging point for the evacuation process, like during the Ops Piramid, he said it would at other locations to be announced later.
Meanwhile, Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said all the 181 Mara-sponsored students still in Egypt were reported safe, while another 1,481 Mara-sponsored students who returned home for the holidays had been instructed to defer their studies there.
"I have been able to contact the officer in Cairo and students in Mansurah and has been informed that the situation is under control.
"I have also told them to be at a safe place to facilitate the evacuation process, when the need arises," he added.
However, due to the uncertain situation in Egypt, Mohd Shafie suggested the government to bring them home.
In a related development, Shafie said the ministry and Mara would look into institutions of higher learning in safer countries that offered medical studies which were recognised by the Malaysian government as a long term-plan.
Also present at the open house were Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Hasan Malek and Felcra chairman Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin.
He said NSC secretary Datuk Mohamed Thajudeen Abdul Wahab was now in Egypt to monitor the situation before deciding on the next course of action.
As for the 3,300 Malaysian students there, he said they had been evacuated to safer locations since before the fasting month.
"So the decision on the evacuation process of Malaysians in Egypt will depend on NSC as they are on the ground there.
"When we watch Al Jazeera, CNN, the situation seems bad, but when we go there only certain areas are affected," he told reporters at the Rural and Regional Development Ministry's open house at Wisma Felcra here.
On the evacuation process, Hishammuddin said Transport Ministry and the Defence Ministry would decide whether to use commercial flights or the Royal Malaysian Air Force aircraft.
Questioned whether Jeddah would be the staging point for the evacuation process, like during the Ops Piramid, he said it would at other locations to be announced later.
Meanwhile, Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said all the 181 Mara-sponsored students still in Egypt were reported safe, while another 1,481 Mara-sponsored students who returned home for the holidays had been instructed to defer their studies there.
"I have been able to contact the officer in Cairo and students in Mansurah and has been informed that the situation is under control.
"I have also told them to be at a safe place to facilitate the evacuation process, when the need arises," he added.
However, due to the uncertain situation in Egypt, Mohd Shafie suggested the government to bring them home.
In a related development, Shafie said the ministry and Mara would look into institutions of higher learning in safer countries that offered medical studies which were recognised by the Malaysian government as a long term-plan.
Also present at the open house were Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Hasan Malek and Felcra chairman Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin.
