A rights group has criticised a decision to deny bail to jailed former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim, saying ordinary people are justly aghast with disbelief that the justice system could be trampled upon.

"The Anwar Ibrahim case has been a protracted one marked by undue delays and dishonourable tactics that have ravaged justice," P Ramakrishnan, president of Aliran, said in a statement.

Ramakrishnan said the court no longer commands any respect or reflects any confidence that justice can be done without fear or favour.

"What we have witnessed only seems to confirm that the rot in the system has seeped in too deeply that facts no longer matter when dispensing justice.

"The Court of Appeal's decision to dismiss Anwar's application for bail and for review of his sodomy conviction hardly came as a surprise and baffled thinking Malaysians," he added.

Deep flaws

Anwar has served four years in jail on corruption charges and sought bail while awaiting the outcome of an appeal against his conviction for sodomy, for which he was jailed for nine years.

The United States also condemned a decision Wednesday to deny bail to Anwar, and said his treatment exposed deep flaws in the judicial process.

The United States and Amnesty International regard him as a political prisoner.

Former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad sacked the charismatic and popular Anwar in 1998 and he was later sentenced to a total of 15 years in prison on charges Anwar says were trumped up to prevent him from making a challenge for the premiership.

If granted bail, Anwar also wants to travel abroad for treatment for a slipped disc in his back, which he says happened in a police assault when he was first arrested. - AFP