Former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim has been invited for a series of meetings with international groups and personalities during his three-month trip to Europe.

He is scheduled to begin his two-month stint as a senior associate member with St Antony's College in Oxford University starting today, said his aide Azmin Ali, who is with him.

"Anwar was chosen as the senior associate member after the university assessed more than 200 applications from renowned academicians and scholars," he added when contacted.

During his stint in Oxford, Anwar will deliver a series of public lectures and seminars on the topic of moderate Islam.

Azmin said the former deputy premier, who left for Europe last Monday, has also held meetings with Malaysians, including entrepreneurs, in London.

Anwar is also accompanied by his wife and Keadilan president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and another aide Khalid Jaafar.

Najib skips dinner

Last Wednesday, Anwar was invited to speak at a dinner organised by the global investment and marketing group in Davos, Switzerland, one of the many events held in conjunction with the annual World Economic Forum.

He told delegates that the world economic projection was 'more gloomy than expected' especially in the wake of worsening deficit problems in the US and the depreciating American currency.

The four-day forum kicked off last Thursday and Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak was among the world leaders who attended.

However, it is learnt that the deputy premier was not present at the dinner where Anwar spoke.

In December, Anwar and Najib also coincidentally visited Jakarta at the same time. Anwar was later said to have been given a 'much longer' audience with Indonesian deputy president Yusuf Kalla than Najib.

Following this, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi cautioned foreign leaders about meeting Anwar in order to maintain good diplomatic ties. He was also said to have personally called Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to ask him not to meet Anwar.

'Political conspiracy'

Meanwhile after the dinner in Davos, Anwar held an hour-long meeting with Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) secretary-general Anders B Johnsson in Geneva (photo).

During this meeting, Anwar conveyed his view on the necessity to restore the Parliament in all countries as an institution to defend democracy and justice.

He also presented his case, which he said was a 'political conspiracy' against him, to the IPU's human rights committee.

The IPU had been vocal in raising concerns about the treatment accorded to Anwar during his arrest and imprisonment.

In another development, Anwar was among 90-odd contributors to Global Agenda, the official programme of the World Economic Forum - the world's most prestigious economic gathering.

Other notable contributors include United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan and British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The M'sian dream

In his contributory article entitled 'The quest for social justice', Anwar said true social justice is still a long way off for much of Asia and added that it is time for leaders to wake up to the demands of their people.

He also said that miscarriage of justice has become an "endemic" in some societies and is used as a convenient political tool.

"Malaysians are more economically successful than Indonesians, but they envy their southern cousins for their political freedoms. They dream of the day when their television, radio and newspapers are as free as those found in Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines.

"This Malaysian dream is shared by other Aseanese living under tight autocratic regimes," he said in the article.

Anwar, released on Sept 2 last year after six years in jail on a corruption charge, is barred from holding public office until 2008 under laws governing convicted criminals.

He has been cagey about his political plans since being released. Before his sudden sacking, Anwar was widely expected to succeed Dr Mahathir Mohamad - who retired in October 2003 - as prime minister.