Higher education minister Zambry Abdul Kadir said there are many high-achieving students who were qualified to pursue their studies in the world’s best universities and not just in the US.

“We can no longer be trapped by policies that are too regressive in nature, to the extent of jeopardising opportunities for students from all over the world, including Malaysia.

“For me, the best universities are also available in other countries,” he said when met at the Luncheon Talk With Editors session in conjunction with the Asean-Malaysia Chairmanship 2025 Programme, organised by the higher education ministry.

Zambry was commenting on the impact of new US tariff policies on Malaysian students pursuing studies in the country.

Previously, the Trump administration issued directives to halt the processing of visas for all foreign students and considered measures to screen new applicants based on their social media posts.

Mara chairman Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki was reportedly quoted as saying that Mara would stop sending its sponsored students to the US starting this year, following the introduction of president Trump’s new policies.