A lawyer for jailed ex-deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim has written to the Prisons Department and Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL), seeking an explanation as to why his physiotherapy treatment for a slipped disc was stopped after the general election.

Sankara Nair told malaysiakini that the authorities had stopped sending Anwar for his twice-weekly treatment sessions at HKL without notice.

"The last time he was sent to HKL was the week before the elections. But now the elections are over, they have seen it fit to stop the therapy," he said when contacted.

"After almost a month they have not resumed the therapy. It gives the impression that the treatment was only for pre-election (purposes)."

He pointed that international human rights bodies had repeatedly queried the government about Anwar's health condition and that they have been given assurances that he would be given the best possible treatment.

On a related matter, Sankara said he had written to prison officials a second time to allow Anwar to be examined by his personal doctor, neuro specialist Dr Halili Rahmat.

"We sent the first letter two months ago because his (Anwar's) condition has not improved under the care of the government-appointed doctor," he claimed.

Sankara said he was baffled by the prison's silence, and said this was a legitimate request.

"They have not even acknowledged the request. Prisoner or not, my client has the right to seek medical treatment of his choice especially when the government doctor has failed to improve his condition. It's natural justice."

Hearing soon

Anwar is currently serving a nine-year jail term for a sodomy conviction. His repeated attempts to seek bail and stay of execution have failed. A Federal Court hearing on his bail application is set for May 10.

He had made several requests previously to be allowed to undergo endoscopic surgery which is only available in Germany, but the government has rejected the idea.

It has, instead, offered him facilities for surgery to be done locally, which he has turned down on the grounds that it would be too risky.

Following much lobbying, physiotherapy treatment begun early this year after medical examinations revealed that Anwar had suffered a minor prolapse of another disc.