Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim will not be part of US president Barack Obama's itinerary when he visits Malaysia on April 26.

US national security adviser Susan Rice said there were no such plans though there may be with lower level officials, reported AFP.

“I think that the president is not likely to have that meeting (with Anwar) - there may be other engagements at other levels,” she was quoted as saying.

Obama's visit comes just over a month of Anwar's conviction of sodomy by the Court of Appeal and sentenced to a five-year jail term.

Anwar remains temporarily free after being granted a stay of execution pending his appeal to the Federal Court.

Several prominent US figures had criticised the Malaysian government when Anwar was tried for sodomy for the second time in 2010.

Former US vice-president Al Gore and former US former deputy defence secretary Paul Wolfowitz had described it as a "trumped up" charges case.

However, the Obama administration has been largely silent on the matter and is more focused on maintaining good relations with  the Malaysian government.

Obama's visit to Malaysia will be the first by a sitting US president in nearly half a century.

During the visit, Obama is expected to hold talks with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak as well as attend a state dinner.

He will also hold a town hall meeting with young leaders from South-East Asia and meet with civil society representatives in Kuala Lumpur.