KUALA LUMPUR: Students who want to pursue medical studies abroad on a self-financing basis must ensure that they have sufficient funds to cover their tuition fees and cost of living.
Malaysian Muslim Doctors Organisation (Perdim) president Datuk Dr Ahmad Shukri Ismail said the students should also take into account other factors, including additional costs which might be incurred during their studies.
"For this, the students should formulate a comprehensive plan, which includes their daily expenses, academic materials, transportation and accommodation, to determine whether or not they can afford to study abroad," he told Bernama.
He was commenting on a media report today which stated that 150 self-financing Malaysian medical, dentistry and pharmacy students in Egypt were facing financial difficulties, including tuition fee arrears totalling RM4.5 million.
The students, from eight universities in Egypt, including Al-Azhar, Zagazig and Alexandria, were reported to depend solely on their families to pay for their annual tuition fees of approximately RM33,033, as well as their personal expenses.
Meanwhile, Egypt Graduates Association of Malaysia (Ilmam) president Syed Abdul Kadir Aljoofre in a statement here today, called on all quarters to help those students.
"Not just to help those medical students, but also those pursuing Islamic Studies, who are also badly affected and burdened by the rising cost of living in Egypt," he said.
He said donations could be channeled to Ilmam's Maybank account number 5621-0663-6662) or by contacting Ilmam welfare exco member, Nik Rosdi Nik Jusoh at 018-2657877. — Bernama