The million-dollar question as to whether Anwar Ibrahim "can do it" on complainant Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan remains a mystery as the Kuala Lumpur High Court allowed the defence application for the proceeding to be heard in camera for about 10 minutes in the sodomy trial today.

However, from the testimony of Dutch orthopaedic surgeon and back specialist Dr Thomas Hoogland since morning, the defence has been asserting that such an act cannot be done, logically or physically.

NONE The public gallery was emptied before Hoogland testified for 10 minutes, after which hearing for the day ended, to continue tomorrow morning.

Even PKR president and Anwar's wife, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, left the gallery after police ordered the area to be emptied.

Saiful had also provided testimony in camera to describe the alleged sexual act when the star witness was the first to take the stand for the prosecution last year.

Hoogland, 66, who performed back surgery on Anwar in September 2004 and examined him again last month, said the politician has problems kneeling and he cannot do rigorous activity.

The back specialist also listed three problems in his diagnosis of Anwar last month in reply to questions from defence counsel Sankara Nair.

Hoogland said the operation in 2004 left Anwar with arthritis and between 2004 and 2008, a little more worsening had occurred.

Surgery done following police assault

"The most increase in the problem could have been from 2004 to 2008. We are dealing with three problems, the resulting nerve damage, stenosis causing a lot of limitation in the movement of his back and the damage to the joint, causing the on-going problem."

Sankara: How about arthritis?

Hoogland: Yes.

Hoogland also states in his latest medical report that Anwar suffers from multi-segmental degeneration of the lumbar spine, especially L4 and L5 (L = lumbar), partial function loss of the L5 nerve root on the left and facet joint arthritis on L4 and L5.

He noted that Anwar had back surgery in September 2004 after being diagnosed with disc herniation.

Anwar had surgery conducted by Hoogland following his release from Sungai Buloh prison and after being assaulted by police in 1998.

NONE Although the witness did not provide any detail of the assault, it is believed to be that by former Inspector-General of Police Abdul Rahim Noor in the black-eye incident which resulted in Anwar falling down.

Rahim ( right ) subsequently admitted to the assault in court and served some months in jail. Anwar also filed a lawsuit against Rahim and the matter was settled out of court with an apology and an unspecified amount of compensation.

Hoogland, a medical professor who graduated from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands and has performed more than 14,000 spine surgeries, said Anwar suffered significant back problems, a lumbar stenosis and large disc herniation with foot and toe extensor weakness on the left.

Describing the 2004 injury, Hoogland said Anwar has a problem bending forward , which limited the mobility of his spine.

Anwar's problem on the left side

“Anwar has problem moving flexion (bending 15 degrees forward), bending 10 degrees backward and also lateral movements,” he said, adding the politician also had problems on the left side of his spine and leg.

Hoogland said he had treated many Muslim patients from Middle Eastern countries, and praying was always an issue with them.

"I advised Anwar when performing prayers to do this carefully and slowly. You can bend forward quickly but when you go back up, do it very slowly (moving back upright and standing)."

The specialist further described the surgery procedure performed on Anwar in 2004, where a hemilaminectomy on L4 and 5, neurolysis on L5 and forominotomy were all done on the left side.

anwar ibrahim and wan azizah sodomy trial Hoogland said after the surgery, Anwar stayed at the Alpha clinic from Sept 6 and Sept 27, 2004.

In the afternoon, the surgeon testified that although the surgery was performed successfully, the arthritis condition on Anwar's back had worsened,

“The surgery led to a lot of improvement, but the disease process continued since the 2004 operation.

Sankara: He still feels pain since 2004?

Hoogland: We have achieved quite a lot of improvement, but this is limited as there is arthritis, as it has slowly worsened his back. After surgery in 2004, there was intermittent back pain and between 2004 and 2008, it may have worsened.

The hearing continues tomorrow before judge Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah, with Hoogland continuing his testimony.

Earlier in the day, Justice Zabidin allowed applications by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor to set aside subpoenas issued against them to testify in the Sodomy II trial.