LONDON: Former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim kicked off his two-month lecture tour in the United Kingdom early this month by claiming that Malaysian students were warned against attending his functions.

"Students are not allowed to attend my talks despite Malaysia's claim of being a moderate Islamic state," he told 100 people who were at his lecture on human rights in the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London on Feb 5.

Anwar claimed that Malaysian students were 'intimidated' by warnings from government officials in London.

"Let them listen. They are my children as much as (Prime Minister) Abdullah Badawi's children. Not to mention (ex-premier) Dr Mahathir's children," he said.

Urging Malaysian government officials to "stop harassing the students", Anwar said he might take "necessary actions" such as bringing up the matter with the British government if such harassment persisted.

"This is going to be major embarrassment to the government. This is stupid, dehumanising, intolerant attitude, and only reflective of an oppressive government," he lamented.

Anti-terror laws

During his talk, Anwar said the introduction of anti-terror laws in the UK that are similar to Malaysia's Internal Security Act (ISA) - which allows detention without trial - will only legitimise autocrats around the world.

Under UK's Anti-Terrorism Crime and Security Act 2001 which was enacted in the wake of the Sept 11 terrorist attacks in the United States, a non-British national can be detained indefinitely if the secretary of state suspects the person of being a terrorist and he or she is believed to be a national security risk.

However, this legislation is affected by the ruling by UK's highest court - the Law Lords - that indefinite detention without trial of terror suspects at UK's Belmarsh and Woodhill high security prisons were unlawful under the European Convention on Human Rights.

Anwar added that based on his experience in ISA detention, the "due process" of the law must remain as an integral part of the political system.

"The standard argument of 'security' has been used by dictators and autocrats to introduce the most draconian laws," Anwar charged.

Winning hearts and minds

On the war against terror, he said the focus should be on eliminating oppression and winning the hearts and minds of the people.

"This war cannot be won if the democrats of the Western civilisation choose to imitate the petty despots of Asia, Africa and Latin America."

On Anwar's allegation that Malaysian students were barred from attending his talks, UK's Federation of Students' Islamic Society political officer W M Firdaus said there were directives against those on government scholarships in getting involved in political activities.

However, he believed some Malaysian students would still attend Anwar's talks.

"Most students don't come not because they are afraid but because they are apathetic," Firdaus said.

Anwar is currently serving as a senior associate fellow in Oxford University. During his two-month stint there, he will be researching contemporary politics in Southeast Asia with special focus on Islam and democracy.

He will also be delivering a series of public lectures and seminars on the topic of moderate Islam.

After Oxford, Anwar is expected to take up short-term positions in both John Hopkins University and Georgetown University in the United States.

CHEN ZHONGYAO is a pseudonym of a Malaysian student in London who attended the Feb 5 lecture.