PERMATANG PAUH, Oct 16 — Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has condemned the Public Services Department (PSD) for having a “siege mentality” and warning its scholarship students in Australia against attending an event where he is scheduled to speak.

Anwar labelled the move as another “Umno orchestration” designed to prevent Malaysian students from being exposed to alternative political views.

“These are small minds operating under Umno orchestration that they are even operating beyond Malaysian waters,” he said in a press conference here.

The Permatang Pauh MP was referring to a Facebook posting by a student advisory of PSD scholarship students based in Australia which contained a warning to “refrain from joining the activity” or face “stern action”.

Anwar will be attending the event in Australia entitled “Dissent and Democracy: An Audience with Anwar Ibrahim” which is part of the Adelaide Festival of Ideas at Adelaide University.

“Malaysian PSD scholarship students were warned against attending this as they see us as pro-communist and pro-Christians,” he said.

The PKR de facto leader said he believed it showed a fear by Umno that the students would be able to hear differing views.

Anwar will be leaving for Australia tomorrow and he will also be delivering the Friday sermon at a mosque in Adelaide.

The Adelaide Festival of Ideas takes place on Saturday.