JASIN, March 5 – The Melaka government through the Melaka Foundation is contributing RM2,000 to each of the 322 students in the state to purchase air tickets to return to Egypt to continue their studies there.

Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said the contribution was hoped to ease the burden of the parents of the students in sending them back to Egypt.

The first group of 111 students would depart for Cairo, Egypt tomorrow on board three aircraft belonging to the United Arab Emirates from the KL International Airport (KLIA), he told reporters after a ceremony to hand over the contributions at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Datuk Abdul Rahman Yassin in Merlimau, here today.

Mohd Ali said the state government would also bear other costs such as the bus journey from Melaka to the KLIA.

At the function, Mohd Ali launched the formation of the “Ikatan Mahasiswa Melaka-Mesir” (Imam) and hoped the association could strengthen ties among the Melaka students studying in Egypt besides becoming a “bridge” for the Melaka government to assist the students there. – Bernama