I refer to the letter by Anak Kelantan Insaf, Pelajar harus tumpu kepada pelajaran, bukan Anwar , which was in response to Nik Nazmi Nik Mat's earlier letter .

I wish to provide some background information when my daughter was involved in organising a seminar, 'Islam and Human Rights in the Age of Democratisation and Terrorism', held on May 4, 2005, in University of Essex, which supports Nik Nazmi's complaint.

Anwar Ibrahim was only one of seven speakers. Others included Prof Michael Freeman, Department of Government, University of Essex; Dr Azzam Tamimi, Institute of Islamic Political Thought; Prof Haleh Afshar, Department of Politics, University of York; Dr Mashood A Baderin, School of Law, University of the West England; Arzu Merali, Islamic Human Rights Commission, United Kingdom; and Laura Bruni, Labour Party's prospective candidate for Colchester in 2005.

Yet, the Malaysian Students Department (MSD) deemed it necessary to make things difficult by calling up the organisers and informed them that every university's Malaysian Students Society is under MSD, which itself is under the Malaysian High Commission, which is under the Malaysian government, and the government did not want anything to do with Anwar.

If MSD had its way, the seminar would have been cancelled. The organising chairman then was Yap Swee Seng and committee members included Wong Chin Huat, both of whom were committed to universal values.

I make no apology in saying that I encouraged my daughter to persevere in spite of the obstacles thrown her way, no thanks to MSD. She organised a couple of seminars the following year, one of which involved Prof P Ramasamy. Prof Wang Gung Wu indicated his interest and offered a date on when he could be available, at no costs to the organisers, but alas, it was too close to her examinations.

I wish our government leaders and those in charge of its agencies would try to be more open-minded and less insecure in letting the students make full use of their education overseas instead of being too patronising and narrow-minded in pursuing their political agenda. Even for those on government scholarships, please bear in mind that government funds are not BN funds. Nothing is going to stop our young from pursuing what they think is right or wrong. Any undue pressure will only leave them with disgust.

As to the reason that students should concentrate on their studies, just take it from me that some youngsters are particularly good at multi-tasking and can even excel while involved in organising events. The organisers had to work hard to convince the Students' Union, just to get a grant of GBP1,500. Had it been a government-blessed event, food and transport would have been provided even to those who wished to attend.

As for Anwar Ibrahim, I have great respect for him for standing up to his principles and to have suffered for a number of years in pain while in jail. I would give him the benefit of doubt for his commitment for a better future for Malaysia. He offers non-BN citizens, some hope.

When the committee members of United Kingdom Executive Council were not pro-government, there was no publicity. When they were pro-government, some of them were specially flown back to Malaysia to attend the Umno General Assembly. Even The Star correspondent in UK gave it much publicity.

I leave it to readers to judge for themselves as to whether such exposures for students are better than where government decides everything for them.