A prominent politician and crucial witness has informed jailed former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim's defence team in writing that he is withdrawing his application to set-aside the subpoena served on him to testify in Anwar's sex trial.

Deputy Education Minister Aziz Shamsuddin, who was Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's former political secretary, gave no reasons for the sudden retraction, the defence team said today.

Aziz's counsel Ng Aik Guan is expected to withdraw the application in court tomorrow. This means that the deputy education minister will be put on the witness stand to give evidence on the allegation that he helped mastermind the downfall of Anwar.

Aziz, last week, filed a motion to set aside the subpeona stating that calling him as a witness is a flagrant abuse of the court process.

The High Court will tomorrow hear legal arguments from defence counsel Karpal Singh on the motion filed by Finance Minister Daim Zainuddin to set aside the subpoena served on him.

Daim, last week, filed a motion to challenge Anwar's affidavit stating he is not in a position to give relevant or material evidence at the ongoing sodomy trial.

Anwar's affidavit said that the evidence sought to be adduced through both Aziz and Daim is crucial to show the political conspiracy by Mahathir and his aides to topple him from power.

Last Friday, Anwar's counsel Sankara Nair served a 10-page affidavit to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad stating the reasons why he should appear in court as a defence witness. Mahathir was given by the judge until 4pm tomorrow to raise objections.

Meanwhile, former deputy home minister and consumer affairs minister Megat Junid Megat Ayub continues to wait to be put on the witness stand. He was reported by Harakah to have visited Anwar in the court's lock-up and apologised to the former deputy premier. However, Megat Junid denied that he had cried during the meeting.

Anwar was sacked from office by one-time mentor Mahathir in September 1998 and Umno, the ruling party's dominant coalition partner, expelled him from the party.

He currently serves a six-year jail term for abusing his power while in office and stands trial for sodomy and sexual misconduct.

Anwar has repeatedly denied all charges and says they were trumped up to end his political career.