A University Putra Malaysia (UPM) student facing an internal disciplinary hearing have been denied legal representation to defend himself.

The university authorities said that Lee Song Yong, 20, cannot have his lawyer representing him because the hearing was merely an internal disciplinary inquest and not a real "court proceeding".

Lee, an anti-establishment student activist, is charged with obstructing campus officers from performing their duties in confiscating his personal belongings in the run-up to the campus polls last October.

The internal hearing was to have been heard today but was adjourned to Thursday to give Lee more time to prepare.

The university also said that Lee's parents would be barred from attending the proceeding.

Only one student representative is allowed to accompany Lee at the hearing.

The second-year computer science student was summoned to defend himself against the charges against a six-men prosecuting panel led by deputy vice-chancellor Prof Tai Shzee Yeu.

He is contesting the order on the basis of insufficient notice - it was served on him last Wednesday.

Lee had submitted a letter to the student affairs division last Friday, seeking a postponement and for his lawyer to represent him during the inquiry.

On Aug 22, Lee was stopped by security guards at the university's exit to be searched and Lee's notebook was subsequently withheld on grounds that he was being investigated for being a member of an illegal student organisation.

Lee initially had refused to cave in to the demands of the campus officers because he thought they looked suspicious as they did not don proper security uniforms.

Three days to prepare defence

When contacted, Lee's lawyer Sunil Lopez said that the short adjournment provided insufficient amount of time for his client to prepare his defence.

The lawyer added that the situation was further worsened by prohibiting him from representing Lee.

"What the university told me is unacceptable and ridiculous. Lee has the right to a proper counsel given that he was charged on an offence which he believes he did not commit." said Sunil.

Today's proceeding also saw the university barring various NGOs, media and students organisations from entering the premise of the university.

The group of 30-odd Lee supporters then held a 'mini' protest instead in front of the security guards' building, waving banners that spelled "Stop the proceeding! Start the procedure and end abuse of the power!"

However, the 10 university security guards did not break up the demonstration but stood around to videotape the protesters.