RI students visa extension rejected

JAKARTA: Lebanese and Yemeni immigration offices have turned down the applications of several Indonesian students for visa extensions, even though they have yet to complete their studies, Antara reported.

Journalist from Jakarta-based Kompas daily in Cairo, Mustafa Abd. Rahman, said that the rejection of visa extensions for Indonesian students in Lebanon and Yemen for unstated reasons was probably related to the terrorism issue.

He said the suspended departure of dozens of Indonesian students receiving scholarships from Egypt's Al-Azhar University was strongly believed to be related to the terrorism issue.

As many as 94 Indonesian students were originally scheduled to leave for Al-Azhar University on Sept. 18 under the auspices of the Indonesian religious affairs ministry.

The ministry officially stated that the departure of the Indonesian students to Egypt was suspended as the enrollment procedure of the new students at Al-Azhar had not been completed. --Antara