Keadilan vice-president Azmin Ali today denied that jailed former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim was in discussion with Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to negotiate for his release from prison.

He was refuting a report in Buletin Utama , a Malay weekly tabloid that ran the headline "Condition for freedom: Anwar to retire from politics" on the frontpage of its current edition.

"It is not true. I told the reporter who interviewed me for the article that it was not true, but it (his denial) did not appear," Azmin told malaysiakini .

The report quoted Azmin as saying he was aware of the negotiations but did not have the details and that the party was watching developments as to whether Anwar's release would become a reality.

However, Azmin told malaysiakini that he only said he was aware of the rumours of the negotiations. He also did not discount that Umno could be circulating the rumours.

Misquoted

"I was misquoted by the tabloid and it is merely propaganda by Umno to ease tensions within Umno and the Malay community.

"They are trying to ease the tension that was created after Anwar was sacked. This is a move by senior Umno leaders who are trying to use senior government servants and cabinet ministers to split Keadilan and PAS," Azmin said.

When contacted today, Anwar's wife, Keadilan president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, also denied there were ongoing negotiations.

Buletin Utama quoted an unnamed source as saying that Mahathir agreed to the negotiations on the condition that Anwar retire from politics after his release.

Previous rumours of negotiations between Anwar and his former mentor culminated in a report in the Far Eastern Economic Review Jan 24 issue this year that said the two met during a secret hour-long car ride along the Karak Highway outside Kuala Lumpur.

The ''Secret Anwar Deal?'' article alleged a conciliatory deal had been struck between Mahathir and Anwar who is currently serving jail terms for corruption and sodomy. It claimed that the duo reached an agreement during the alleged car ride.

Anwar and Mahathir both denied the report.

Corruption appeal

Anwar who was once tipped to be Mahathir's heir-apparent had his political dreams dashed when he was sacked following allegations of sexual misconduct in 1998 and subsequent conviction for corruption and sodomy.

Anwar was jailed 15 years but has maintained that he was a victim of a high-level conspiracy.

His Federal Court appeal against the corruption is awaiting judgment while no date has yet been set for his sodomy appeal before the Court of Appeal.

Meanwhile Bernama reported that Anwar's suit against Mahathir, former Inspector-General of Police Abdul Rahim Noor and the government over the "black eye incident" will be heard on Sept 24.

In the suit, Anwar claimed that he was arrested at his residence at about 10pm on Sept 20, 1998, and taken to Bukit Aman and placed in a cell.

Later that night, he said, while he was being blindfolded and handcuffed from behind, he was ordered to stand up and suddenly felt a hard punch on his left eye and forehead.

As a result of this, he added, he suffered trauma, humiliation, distress and indignity during his detention. He is seeking damages, costs and reliefs deemed fit by the court.