Former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim has no plans to rejoin the all-powerful ruling party after his surprise release from jail this month, the official Bernama news agency said yesterday.

Speculation has been rife about Anwar's possible re-entry into Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's ruling Umno, with talk of a political deal between the two, which both have categorically denied.

Anwar had earlier remained cagey about his political plans after being released.

"I am not interested in rejoining Umno. I haven't shown the slightest indication of rejoining Umno," Anwar was quoted as saying by Bernama late Saturday in a telephone interview from the Munich clinic where he is recuperating from back surgery.

'Surprised and amused'

The hour-long telephone conversation was heard by about 5,000 supporters of the opposition Keadilan, headed by Anwar's wife, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, at a gathering in Penang.

In fact, he was "surprised and amused" at the idea.

Talk of him rejoining his former party must have been brought up by "several Umno leaders" who were "flustered and concerned" by his release, Anwar said.

Anwar was heir-apparent to then-premier Mahathir Mohamad before being sacked in September 1998 and later sentenced to a total of 15 years in jail on charges which he says were trumped up to prevent him challenging Mahathir for the premiership.

The charismatic and popular politican was released earlier this month after six years in jail on a charge of corruption, but as a convicted criminal he is not allowed to stand for any elected or party post until 2008.

"I will not wait until 2008. I will continue our struggle now," Anwar said adding his focus would be on pushing for democratic reforms and working with the opposition.

Abdullah and his senior cabinet members have made it clear there is no room for Anwar in the only party that would give him any real chance of reviving his ambitions to lead the country.

Najib: Forget Anwar

Deputy premier Najib Razak has urged Umno members to stop speculating on Anwar's possible political comeback and remain focused on its annual congress which kicks off this Thursday.

"We don't want the general assembly to be sidetracked by one issue over one individual," Najib said.

"Abdullah has stated that there was no deal with Anwar... they must give their full trust that this is the truth," he said.

At the Umno party congress, elections will be held for the top positions in an organisation which has headed Malaysia's ruling coalition since independence from Britain in 1957.

In Umno's traditional hierarchy, the president of the party is invariably the prime minister. His deputy in the party and in government - the post Anwar held until being sacked - is seen as the heir-apparent.

Abdullah and his deputy Najib will be unopposed at the congress, but seven party stalwarts are fighting for three vice-president posts. None of them, settling in after the long Mahathir years, would like to face competition from Anwar.