BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The three Bruneian scholarship students residing in Christchurch, New Zealand were not affected and were not inside the mosques during the Christchurch mosques shooting that left at least 49 dead and 48 injured on Friday, the Education Ministry said.
According to local daily the Borneo Bulletin on Saturday, Brunei's Ministry of Education said its Scholarship Section through its Education Attache in Canberra, Australia has confirmed that the students were not in the affected mosques during the incident.
The ministry said it takes serious attention of the safety of Bruneian students in New Zealand.
The Ministry of Education informed private students studying in New Zealand or their parents/guardians to inform their presence to the Educational Attache in Canberra, Australia as soon as they can for any needs pertaining to safety and communication, the daily reported.
Meanwhile, it is not immediately known the number of Bruneian students or citizens currently in New Zealand. Brunei has no permanent representative in the country but maintains a non-resident high commission based in Brunei, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah on Saturday sent a message of condolences to Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern following attacks on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand that claimed the lives of innocent people and injured many others.
