CONTROVERSIAL would-be peak body for international students the National Liaison Committee has been accused of trying to hijack rival international student bodies by registering new entities under the same names.

Both the Australian Federation of International Students and the Federation of Indian Students of Australia claim NLC public officer and Chinese millionaire Master Shang has threatened them with legal action if they seek to operate under their names outside Victoria.

The National Union of Students claims NLC and Mr Shang appear to be using the same tactic Mr Shang used when NLC split from the NUS by creating a new organisation named NLC Ltd.

The NUS refuses to recognise NLC, arguing it is neither democratic nor representative. The Group of Eight universities has backed that stance, mirroring widespread sector unease with NLC.

"We are extremely disheartened and very concerned," AFIS national executive officer Douglas Tsoi told the HES.

He said Mr Shang had called him late last Friday to warn it not to use the name outside of Victoria, adding the new NSW-registered AFIS was already actively lobbying on behalf of international students.

Mr Tsoi is now concerned that the new group could be mistaken for his organisation.

FISA founder Gautam Gupta also said NLC had warned him he could face legal action if he uses the FISA name outside Victoria.

NLC claims it is the united voice for international students and that its conveners are elected. Mr Shang denied he was trying to hijack the organisations and was responding to student concerns that these were Victorian organisations purporting to represent NSW students. "These are students who want support from NLC and to be affiliated with us," he said.

NLC has been long been lobbying on student safety issues and its concerns have been vindicated by the recent attacks against Indian students that have forced the government and sector to review their policies. But Mr Shang's aggressive manner and concerns over the new structure have alienated the sector. "All of us are keeping our distance from the new NLC," said Dennis Murray, director of the International Education Association of Australia.

But NLC is continuing its lobbying effort. Last week Mr Shang visited Melbourne to meet police, the Indian consul-general and the state government.