PETALING JAYA: Malaysian students stranded abroad are feeling vulnerable and neglected as help from the authorities have not been forthcoming.
Most of them are unable to return due to flight restrictions and the high cost of flight tickets, said the Malaysian Students Global Alliance, which is a coalition of Malaysian student organisations.
Its senior vice-president (operations), Kuhan Bathmaban, told theSun that about 500 Malaysian students are stranded in 15 countries.
“Some of us are facing other issues, which are of increasing concern such as financial, academic, and mental health problems.”
Kuhan said students in Indonesia and Sudan can’t afford to fly home. “Air tickets from Indonesia costs up to RM700 now compared with RM200 before,” he said.
“Contrary to popular belief, not all students abroad are rich. Many are on scholarships with prerequisites to meet.”
Foreign students in Sudan had been advised to leave due to the lack of Covid-19 testing facilities there, while those in Morocco can’t leave as there are no flights out.
Kuhan said many students initially worked part-time to sustain themselves but their jobs were halted due to lockdowns.
“Students in France and Egypt face high cost of living and expensive rents.”
He urged the government to step in and reach out to as many students as possible.
“The Covid-19 situation in Turkey is getting worse, with over 159,000 confirmed cases and 4,397 deaths, and commercial flights are restricted,” he said.
“We must be told what our options are at this moment.
“If there are special chartered flights to get students back to Malaysia, we have to make sure that it reaches the attention of students living in the outskirts as well.
“The Malaysian authorities must also engage education institutions to address any issues pertaining to courses as they are on scholarships.”
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