PEKAN, Aug 17 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has ordered for all preparations to be made to bring back Malaysian students who are pursuing studies in Egypt in view of the current developments in the country following the civil war there.

He said the government was now monitoring closely the latest development occurring in that country.

"If the situation affects the security (of the students) they would be brought back home...all preparations will be made as the situation there appears to be heading for a civil war because we don't know what will happen in the next one or two days," he said at the Prime Minister's Aidilfitri Open House, here today.

He said what was happening in Egypt must be taken as a lesson because the demand for changes made by the people did not necessarily bring the changes desired.

"This is a lesson for those who have been given the trust, not only that the democratic process is achieved, but what we can do after getting the mandate from the people...if we demand for change, but the outcome is not what we have aspired for," he said.

Najib said the people in the country must realise that changes, especially those incited by certain parties, did not necessarily bring benefits to the people.

"There are changes that bring benefits, and there may be changes that may bring about a worse situation. The lesson is that the people should not be duped by agitations such as 'change', 'this is the time', so we don't know the outcome whether the party that has received our mandate is capable of administering the country better than what we have enjoyed before," he said.

Najib said that the principles of democracy must be guided by moderation and did not need fanatical or extremist ideologies.

"We must have values that reject violence and fanatical of extremist ideologies. Without the principles of moderation, a situation will emerge where one group will reject the other groups," he said.

He said the experience in tackling the intrusion issue in Lahad Datu, for example, showed that Malaysia succeeded in tackling the problem in a prudent manner without violating human rights.

"Islam requires us to defend our sovereignty, in the Lahad Datu issue, we looked for a settlement using our own discretion without violating human rights or destroying lives and property," he said.

Also present at the event attended by more than 50,000 people were the prime minister's wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor and Pahang Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob. — Bernama