PUTRAJAYA is concerned about the fate of more than 6,000 Malaysians studying in the US, following a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announcement that students whose classes move online cannot stay in the country.

Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said the Malaysian embassy in Washington released an advisory on Tuesday, urging Malaysian students to reach out directly to their universities to determine the status of their classes in the fall.

On Monday, ICE announced an end to the immigration exemption for foreign students whose classes move online in the coming semester.

“Given the importance of the US as an education destination, the Malaysian government encourages US authorities to reassess the need to end this temporary exemption, and find a feasible solution for our students to continue pursuing their studies online and remain in the US,” said Hishammuddin in a statement today.

The US hosts the third-largest population of Malaysian students abroad. – Bernama, July 9, 2020.