KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 18 — A Malaysian student at Al Azhar University has been detained by Egyptian authorities, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah.

Following the arrest, the Malaysian Embassy in Cairo is in close contact with the Egyptian authorities to obtain further information on the case, Saifuddin said in a statement tonight.

"The Foreign Ministry will continue to monitor the development of the case via the Malaysian Embassy in Cairo and will provide appropriate consular assistance to the student in question,” the statement added. — Bernama