PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia: Three private institutions of higher learning have been warned for offering sub-standard courses.

Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Idris Harun, however, refused to name them "for fear of legal repercussions".

The colleges also failed to offer courses which they had advertised in the media.

Idris said the colleges had been warned to buck up.

"They will lose their licences if they fail to buck up. We will be keeping an eye on their operations."

Idris said the ministry received complaints from students of the three colleges.

On problematic foreign students, Idris said public and private universities had been told to report them to their embassies.

"The embassies must be notified so that these indisciplined or problematic students can be sent back. The embassies do not want their citizens to create trouble here."

Idris said some universities and colleges preferred not to act against errant foreign students for fear of tarnishing their image.

"If we find that they tried to sweep cases of indiscipline involving such students under the carpet, we will act against them."