PETALING JAYA: No Malaysian students have been reported injured amid the unrest in parts of France and Italy, although their travel to campuses has been affected, says higher education minister Zambry Abdul Kadir.
He said his ministry is closely monitoring developments in Paris and Milan in cooperation with the foreign ministry.
“Currently, the impact is mainly on their movements to campuses and other places.
“We have not received any report of injuries to our students there,” he was quoted by the Borneo Post as saying after paying a courtesy call to Sarawak premier Abang Johari Openg at the state assembly complex in Kuching.
Zambry said advisories had been issued to Malaysians, particularly students in France and Italy, urging them to avoid areas where protests and clashes were taking place.
He said his ministry would work closely with the foreign ministry to ensure the safety of Malaysian students, with contingency measures to include relocating students to safer locations, including areas near Malaysian embassies.
The former defence minister said he was familiar with the procedures involved in such situations and had instructed that developments be closely monitored, but could not confirm whether any student had already been relocated.
“I cannot answer on behalf of the foreign ministry,” he said.
The unrest comes amid a wave of demonstrations driven by growing public dissatisfaction over rising cost of living, education funding, housing affordability and public services.