‘Situation in Sudan still ok’
Saifuddin: No order to bring back M’sians at this stage
KUANTAN: It is still not necessary to issue an order to bring back Malaysians from Sudan at this stage, says Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah.
He said the situation in the country was still under control and he hoped the unrest in Khartoum would end and calm would return soon.
Saifuddin said that about 150 Malaysians were still in Sudan, including around 109 students, and they had been advised to avoid visiting areas near the riots.
“We told parents not to worry and panic at the situation as the latest reports from representatives there said the situation is under control.
“However, some students have returned to Malaysia. There is a university break now and those who came back had planned earlier ... not because of the riots,” he added.
Saifuddin, who is MP for Indera Mahkota, told reporters this after visiting a dialysis centre operated by the Pahang Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MUIP) in Cenderawasih here yesterday.
On the airspace dispute with Singapore following the landing of aircraft at Seletar Airport, Saifuddin reiterated that the issue would be given priority in his meeting with his counterpart in the republic, Vivian Balakrishnan, on Tuesday.
He said Malaysia would be pro- posing that aircraft should land in Seletar through another direction and not to use the airspace of Pasir Gudang, Johor.
“Apart from the Seletar landing issue, other issues to be discussed are the agreement on managing the airspace signed with Singapore in 1974, the Johor port limits and the water agreement which is now placed under the purview of the Attorney General.
“The Attorney Generals of both countries have met last year and in the Tuesday meeting, I hope we could at least obtain a timeframe on the water agreement,” he added. — Bernama