Kuala Lumpur: In a bid to stem the abuse of student visas by foreigners, Malaysian authorities have decided to review the filtering and monitoring process for enrolling these people, including measures like biometric identification system to prevent defaulters from re-entering.
Students from Middle-East countries and other parts of Asia, besides Africa enroll themselves at Malaysian Universities, many of which offer twining programmes with their counterparts in the UK or Australia.
However, authorities have found that some foreigners had abused their student visas and were found to be working here illegally, instead of attending classes.
Officials of Home ministry and Higher Education ministry will review the filtering and monitoring process for enrolling foreigners, Malaysian Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said.
They would look into procedural aspect and the entry requirements, he said. Parameters for academic qualification and would be set and applicants result should match it in order to pursue the field they want to, he added.
Terming the move 'timely' as pupils entered the country with a student visa and overstayed without renewing their passes, Hussein said, "There are some who no longer hold the passes and have stopped going for classes."
Illegal foreigners were flooding the country, abusing social visit passes, temporary work permits and student visas, he said. Enforcement officers now deport illegals and store their personal records.
They will also be barred from re-entry. "We propose to upgrade our immigration system by introducing a biometric identification system at every entry point in the country.
"This will ensure that the identities of those who are allowed in are recorded, and those who are not will be identified," he said.
Bureau Report
First Published: Thursday, November 19, 2009, 18:50