Jailed ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim has refuted allegations that he was negotiating a deal for his release from prison, saying he was not contemplating a return to Umno.

His wife, Keadilan president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, said she met Anwar at the Sungai Buloh prison last Saturday and the latter denied that he had been approached by Umno officials to work out a "deal" for his release.

"There is no such thing. He (Anwar) told me he would stand by his principles of justice and democracy," she told malaysiakini today.

Asked if Anwar would ever return to Umno, Wan Azizah replied with a firm "no".

The text of an interview released by Anwar's lawyer, Sankara Nair, last week sparked speculations that the former deputy prime minister was negotiating a deal for his release with Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The so-called deal, if successfully brokered, would see Anwar leaving the country to seek surgery and subsequently retiring from politics.

Reconciliation possibility

In his reply to questions posed by a foreign journalist through Sankara, Anwar had hinted that he was open to a reconciliation with Mahathir.

But added that he will stand by his ideals of democracy and justice, and to combat corruption and cronyism.

Anwar is currently serving a 15-year jail sentence for corruption and sodomy. He has maintained that he is a victim of a high-level conspiracy to oust him from power, a charge denied by the government.

The comments in the interview were inadvertently complicated by a report that Mahathir may have agreed to negotiations for Anwar's release on the condition that he (Anwar) retires from politics.

A report, which appeared in Buletin Utama , a Malay weekly tabloid, quoted Keadilan vice-president Azmin Ali as saying that he was aware of the negotiations and that the party was watching the developments.

However, Azmin later refuted the report saying he was only aware of rumours of the negotiations.

Umno propaganda

Meanwhile, Wan Azizah said she was aware that Anwar's answer to a question on his political ambitions had also created controversy when he expressed hope to join "his colleagues" without stating any particular party.

"He wants to clarify that when he said 'colleagues', he meant Keadilan,".

Anwar became a Keadilan life member in September last year.

Wan Azizah described the rumours as typical "Umno propaganda".

"They are obviously very weak and in deep trouble now [over several controversies affecting their party]," she said.