The 26 year old Chevening Scholarship Programme is likely to be scrapped in Malaysia, a casualty of spending cuts by the British government.

The British government is reviewing the future of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office programmes in several countries including Malaysia, with the first casualty being the prestigious scholarship programme.

The new Conservation- Liberal Democrat coalition government said this was to reduce government spending by about RM30bilion.

Commission which said despite a RM49million cut from RM25.5 million to the scholarship’s global budget for 2010 – II, it had put forward “a strong case” to the British government and secured sufficient funds to send all their recipients as originally planned.

The 14 scholarship had earlier received a letter information them the programme conducted at various universities in the UK was being reviewed.

One recipient said she received her offer letter from the British Council in March. “I even received an e-mail requesting that I go for my medical check-up, find accommodation in UK and book my flight ticket,” she said.

The group then collectively sent a memorandum to the British High Commission appealing for the programme to be reinstated.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said in its website:” We do understand the frustration that this will cause but ask those affected to be patient and in the meantime keep in contact with the British embassy or High Commission in your country.”