Education Minister Maszlee Malik called on Saudi Arabia students in Canada to look to Malaysia for furthering their higher education. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 — Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik has called on Saudi Arabia students in Canada to look to Malaysia for furthering their higher education amid the ongoing diplomatic tensions between the two countries.

He said 8,000 Saudi Arabia students pursuing their education in Canada had been directed by the Saudi government to return home.

“We hope many more Saudi students, particularly those studying in Canada, will choose Malaysia to further their education.

“Should they choose Malaysia, I am confident that Malaysian universities are capable of providing them the kind of education facilities provided in Canada or perhaps even better,” he told reporters after attending Saudi Arabia’s 88th National Day celebrated here Monday night.

Maszlee also said ties between Malaysia and Saudi in the field of education was good and that it will continue to be enhanced from time to time.

On August 31, this year, the Saudi government instructed all its students in Canada to leave the country following a diplomatic row after Canada’s Foreign Minister, Chrystia Freeland, sent a tweet calling for the release of civil society activists in Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi government described the move as an interference in its domestic affairs and went on to expel the Canadian Ambassador to the country, while freezing all trade and new investments in the country.

It also suspended the services of Arab Saudi Airlines to Toronto. — Bernama