Anwar Ibrahim can be present during interviews of witnesses for the defence case in the sodomy trial, but he cannot participate by asking questions.

NONEKuala Lumpur High Court judge Justice Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah (left) made the ruling this morning after hearing submissions from the defence and prosecution.

The prosecution had objected to Anwar's presence yesterday, just as interviews were scheduled to be held with former police chief Musa Hassan and former Malacca police chief Mohd Rodhwan Mohd Yusof.

The defence will now be able to interview seven witnesses today in Anwar's presence, at the Jalan Duta court complex in Kuala Lumpur.

However, the list for today does not include premier Najib Abdul Razak, his wife Rosmah Mansor or Musa.

Seven interviewed

After two hours, lead defence lawyer Karpal Singh, along with lawyers Param Cumaraswamy and Sankara Nair, were seen leaving the court complex with Anwar at about 1pm.

Seven witnesses have been interviewed, including Kuala Lumpur Hospital doctor Dr N Suresh Naidu and Dr S Jeyaindran, the consultant physician who had examined Anwar when he was arrested on July 16, 2008.

Others are his alibi witnesses former PKR central committee member Nik Mahmood Nik Hassan, Mier executive Mohamad Ariff Abdul Kareem, and retiree Nik Mohd Sidek Nik Abu Bakar.

Others are former Bursa Malaysia chief operating officer Omar Malek Ali Merican and chief executive officer of Deutsche Bank Raymond Yeoh.

Dr Suresh and Dr Jeyaindran are not in the list of 15 witnesses which Anwar had made in the two applications in court. However, the two are part of another list of witnesses which Anwar’s lawyers had applied to interview.

There is also no indication when Najib, Rosmah, Musa or Rodwan will come.

It is learnt two other people will be interviewed tomorrow.