Repatriation Of Palestinians: Mindef Still In Discussion With Egypt - Adly

KUALA LUMPUR, March 13 (Bernama) -- Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari today said that so far there has been no final decision on the repatriation of 127 Palestinians, including 41 injured individuals who were previously brought to Malaysia for treatment.

He said that currently, the Defence Ministry is working with the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) through the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Department to manage and provide accommodation for the Palestinians concerned.

"We at the Defence Ministry level are still waiting for coordination with the Egyptian side to send them back, especially to Gaza.

"We are still communicating with the Egyptian side in several series of discussions and hope that it can be finalised as soon as possible. When we took them, the diplomacy was with Egypt, so when we want to send them back, we also need their cooperation," he told reporters after the launch of Digitalisation of School Camp, at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Kementah, here, today.

He said the welfare of the Palestinians who arrived in Malaysia on August 16 last year would continue to be taken care of and his party also hoped that through the ceasefire in Palestine that is currently underway, efforts to bring them back would be realised.

Meanwhile, Adly said three school camps (SDK) had been selected for the implementation of the pilot project of the Affin Digital Space Digitalisation Programme, namely SK TUDM Subang, SK Sultan Sir Ibrahim, Kluang and SK Kementah with digital laboratory equipment for the programme expected to be completed by October this year.

He said that Affin Bank had fully sponsored the provision of digital laboratory equipment in the three schools, including smart TVs, laptops, video recorders, smartphones, multimedia applications and support systems at a cost of RM94,000.

"Today we have 38 SDKs, but only three schools are equipped with digital education equipment, namely SK Kem Terendak I in Melaka, SK Desa Tun Hussein Onn in Kuala Lumpur and SK Kem Iskandar in Johor.

"Recognising the still widening gap, we are determined to make a small shift in the world of digital education starting from primary schools," he said.

-- BERNAMA