Jailed ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim was sent to Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) today to have his slipped disc examined following complaints of intense back pain.

His lawyer Sankara Nair said Anwar was advised to undergo MRI (magnetic resonance image) and CT (computed tomography) scans and a physiotherapy session.

"The advise was given by (consultant orthopaedic surgeon) Dr Mazwar (Sofiyan) who examined my client at the Sungai Buloh Prison yesterday. The specialist was called in by the prison authorities," he said when contacted.

Sankara said Anwar's family and him are relieved that prison authorities had contacted the specialist as the jailed politician's complaints to the government appointed physician Dr S Jeyaindran had allegedly fell on deaf ears.

"Of course it would have been better if they had acted earlier but if the prison authorities had insisted on waiting for Jeyaindran, my client would probably be still suffering in his cell consuming painkillers that just don't work.

"In fact the prison (authorities) have assured me that they are prepared to exercise their rights under Section 37 of the Prisons Act to ensure that Anwar gets the proper treatment if Jeyaindran continues to deny my client proper examinations. The prison (authorities) must be commended for this," he added.

He said it is believed that Jeyaindran had informed the prison authorities that no other doctor is allowed to examine Anwar other than himself.

'Unprofessional conduct'

In September last year, Anwar had complained to the physician about his worsening back pain and has since requested for an expert's opinion.

He later claimed that Jeyaindran had ignored his plight and refused to do anything more than prescribing painkillers.

The jailed politician also said the 'unprofessional conduct' was due to the official complaint he lodged against the doctor following an allegedly misleading report to the Inter Parliamentary Union which claimed that Anwar was given special medical privileges including a routine check up at HKL.

To date Jeyaindran has yet to reply to the allegations and repeated attempts to contact him to get his comments have proved futile.

When contacted later in the day, Sankara said Anwar was taken back to his cell after a five-hour check up.

Anwar who was sacked in 1998 and subsequently jailed on charges of corruption and sodomy, suffered from a slipped disc following a horse riding accident several years ago.