The director of the Malaysian Students Department (MSD) for the United Kingdom and Eire advised students in the United Kingdom who wished to be involved in "their own brand of politics" to stop wasting their resources and return to Malaysia instead.

Dr Kamarudin Mohd Nor was responding to malaysiakini via e-mail on allegations of political interference and biased attitudes levelled at the MSD by an ex-student leader who is now involved in opposition politics.

Rafizi Ramli, a former president of the United Kingdom Executive Council (Ukec), an umbrella body representing Malaysian student associations there, had said that the MSD created a "culture of fear" using psychological intimidation to deter students from attending events organised by opposition parties or their affiliates.

'Go home'

Kamarudin brushed off the allegations, stating that "the MSD has better things to do than intimidating students" as it had to service the 10,000-odd Malaysian students in the UK and Eire.

"We are not worried about a handful of them who choose to waste their time and people's monies (who sponsor them) by involving themselves in their brand of politics," he said.

He added that those who persisted in doing so should "go home" to play a more active role in political affiliations of their choice, and allow "more deserving students" to take their place in the UK.

He also sounded a warning to rebellious students, declaring that he would "come [down] hard on those who are against the policies of the present-day government of Malaysia".

Making it quite clear where his own political affections lay, Kamarudin said: "I am not just the MSD director. I am also a loyal Umno member forever and ever and through and through."

The MSD was recently accused of bias when dealing with students of different political leanings. Former student leader Rafizi, who is now a London-based accountant, alleged that the department had threatened students who tried to attend opposition-affiliated events while fully supporting functions organised by government-linked groups like Kelab Umno.

Hidden agenda

Rafizi cited the aborted Wacana Kemerdekaan (Merdeka dialogue) that had been scheduled for Sept 7 in Birmingham as a good example of the MSD's hidden agenda.

The event featured a talk by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia history professor, Dr Nik Anuar Nik Mahmud, on Malaysia's struggle for independence.

However, it was cancelled at the eleventh hour after the MSD advised Nik Anuar not to speak for "security reasons" in the light of the anniversary of the Sept 11 attacks, leaving some 130 people fuming.

Rafizi claimed that the MSD had interfered because the organisers were an Islamic student movement called Al-Hizbul Islami United Kingdom and Eire (Hizbi) founded by PAS spiritual adviser and Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Abdul Aziz in 1991.