(AFP) - Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad urged university students today not take part in protests, after six were arrested last month for demonstrating against a strict security law.

Mahathir told students at the University Malaya that street demonstrations could hurt the economy and destroy the country.

Activities such as rioting would have a severe backlash on students' future since a ruined country would not be able to provide them with jobs and good living conditions, he added.

"We must protect what we are going to take over ... not act in such a way as to destroy what we will inherit," the premier was quoted as saying by the Bernama news agency.

Mahathir was addressing the students at the close of a seminar titled "Reaffirming the idealism of undergraduates in the new millennium".

On June 8, police arrested six students near the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur for demonstrating against the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA), which allows indefinite detention without trial.

Six opposition activists, all supporters of jailed politician Anwar Ibrahim, are being held for up to two years under the ISA at the Kamunting detention camp in the northern state of Perak.

News reports today said leaflets were circulated at University Malaya urging Mahathir not to visit the campus and calling on students to boycott the premier's visit.

It was not clear why the students opposed Mahathir's visit, but some have in the past voiced their support for reforms called for by the jailed Anwar.

University authorities warned students, administrative staff and lecturers not to take part in activities to oppose Mahathir's visit and it went ahead without any disruption but under tight security.

On Friday a University Malaya building was destroyed by fire and police said they did not exclude the possibility of arson. Police said they had interviewed several witnesses, including students, the Sunday Star reported.

In another incident, fire destroyed the information room containing computers and servers in the University Putra Malaysia, in Serdang, but the fire department ruled out arson.

Mahathir, who has been in power for 20 years, made a similar call for stability last week when he urged Asia to go slow on political change.

"(Asians) are not ready to cope with the new freedom they are given and they may take to the streets ... push up one government, pull it down again, and put up another government and pull it down again," he said.