Foreign students in Malaysia to have biometric identity cards

With the aim to attract 200,000 foreign students by 2020, the Home Ministry has proposed to implement biometric identity cards for foreign students studying in local institutions of higher education to improve security.

The Home Ministry is in discussions with the Ministry of Education to adopt this system which features a barcode and RIFD chip. The biometric identity cards would serve as the students' travelling permit when in the country rather than having them carry their passports wherever they go.

There are about 80,000 international students in the country, according to the ministry's records last year.