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Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Another 1,439 Malaysian Citizens To Arrive Home Today

SEPANG, Feb 9 (Bernama) -- Another 1,439 Malaysian citizens from strife-torn Egypt are expected to arrive home by three Saudi Air and one Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flights under the second phase of Ops Pyramid, on Wednesday.

Deputy Foreign Minister A.Kohilan Pillay said until yesterday, 1,355 Malaysian citizens, mainly students had returned home from Jeddah.

He said the remaining 3,846 Malaysian citizens in Jeddah would be flown home by Sunday by MAS and AirAsia.

About 2,000 Malaysian citizens decided to remain behind as the situation in Egypt is improving, he told reporters after receiving 357 Malaysian citizens, who arrived from Jeddah on MAS flight MH8031 at the KL International Airport here Wednesday.

He said the Malaysian Embassy in Cairo would monitor the safety of Malaysian citizens who stayed put in Egypt.

On the cost borne by the government in the Egypt evacuation, he said the actual figure had yet to be ascertained although initially it was estimated at RM50 million.

He said part of the cost would be borne by MAS and Airsia as part of their corporate social responsibility.

"We also lifted Malaysian citizens, mainly students from Moscow and several other countries, who came to Egypt for a holiday, to Jeddah," he said, adding that however, they would have to bear the cost of their return journey.

According to Wisma Putra, besides MAS flight MH8031, three Saudi Air flights would bring home 480, 452 and 150 Malaysian citizens respectively today.

The last Saudi Air flight is expected to arrive at 3.30pm.

The first batch of Malaysian citizens returned home from Jeddah on Monday to a rousing welcome led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

-- BERNAMA

Source: Bernama.
Link: http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=562436.

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