updated version Opposition leader Fadzil Noor will head a delegation to hand over a memorandum on the former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim's right to his choice of treatment to the National Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) on May 26, with the public as witness.

This was announced today by Anwar's wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail at a press conference held together with families of the 10 people arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA) since last month.

Wan Azizah also expressed shock at the sudden move by the authorities to transfer Anwar back to prison yesterday.

"We were only told of it at the very last minute. The panel doctors in charge of him also did not seem to know of the move and Anwar was only escorted by a hospital attendant all the way to the prison," said Wan Azizah.

Wan Azizah also elaborated on the risks involved in the method of surgery offered by the government.

She said Anwar prefers to be in prison, where he has some control of knowing what happens to him, rather than risk being unconscious under anaesthesia for the local operation.

The risks during and after the open microscopic disectomy include spinal cord and nerve root injuries leading to paralysis of the limbs and sensory disturbance; bowel and urinary incontinence including sexual dysfunction; leaking cerebrospinal fluid or collection of fluid from spinal cord; wound infection or breakdown; bleeding during surgery requiring blood and blood products transfusion; and risks of anaesthesia including allergy to anaesthetic drugs, pulmonary aspiration and myocardial infection.

Wan Azizah also stated that all the operating theaters at Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) are closed for renovation for the next six months, except for the emergency and neurosurgery ones.

Meanwhile, Keadilan Women Wing head Fuziah Salleh said they strongly suspect the doctors who had been treating Anwar at HKL were pressured into giving their consent to transfer him back to prison.

"This is supported by the fact that the team's leader Dr Borhan Tan Abdullah was not aware that the transfer was supposed to take place. The Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan taken recently showed no improvement in Anwar's condition and yet, against all common sense, let alone medical ethics, the decision was made to move him out," said Fuziah.

UN intervention

Meanwhile, Wan Azizah and the families of ISA detainees handed over a memorandum to the United Nations, calling the international body to intervene in getting visitation access for the families.

At a press conference held after that, Wan Azizah said there is no indication that the detainees would be released soon and she urged the authorities to permit their families to visit them.

"The appeal of the police against the Shah Alam High Court's order to produce the two detainees N Gobalakrishnan and Abdul Ghani Haroon is highly suspicious. Have they been hurt that they cannot be brought to the public?

"Either release them or charge them in court," urged Wan Azizah.

To date, 10 political leaders and human rights activists have been detained under the ISA in a police dragnet launched on April 10. The initial seven arrested, police said, were allegedly planning to topple the government via militant means.

Besides Gobalakrishnan and Abdul Ghani, they are Keadilan leaders Tian Chua and Dr Badrul Amin Baharom; party Youth leaders Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor, Saari Sungib and Lokman Noor Adam; webmaster of Free Anwar Campaign website (Freeanwar.com) Raja Petra Raja Kamaruddin; human rights activist Badaruddin Ismail and social activist-cum-malaysiakini columnist Hishamuddin Rais.

Police have permitted the family members of Raja Petra, Badrul, Ezam, Saari and Lokman to visit them since last Thursday but there is no news on whether the remaining five would be given similar access.

Prior to this, similar memorandums have been handed to the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam), Parliament Speaker, Inspector-General of police and the Rulers Council.