Malaysians can use the ballot box to show how they feel about the Federal Court's decision in upholding the conviction of former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim, Bar Council chairperson Mah Weng Kwai said.

"If Anwar's supporters, the reformasi group or the public feel that the court has been unfair, the general election is the best avenue for them to show their discontent," he said when contacted today.

A three-member Federal Court panel today unanimously dismissed ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim's final appeal against his conviction and six years sentence for tampering with police investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct.

In an immediate response, wheelchair-bound Anwar told the court that the decision was a "horrendous betrayal of the public confidence in the judiciary".

Mah said he believed the Federal Court would have set aside Anwar's conviction if it had found any improprieties in the proceedings of the lower courts.

No miscarriages of justice found

"But the Court of Appeal had found no miscarriages of justice and so did the Federal Court today. Anwar's trial has gone through the due process of law, and we need to respect the decision of the court.

"I'm sure if there were any miscarriages of justice in the lower courts, the Federal Court would have rectified the matter today, as in the Zainur Zakaria case."

Zainur, a senior lawyer, was cited for contempt after refusing to apologise for making an application on Anwar's behalf to disqualify senior prosecutor Abdul Gani Patail (the present Attorney-General) and Azahar Mohamed alleging that they had attempted to fabricate evidence against Anwar.

He was sentenced to a three-month jail term but his appeal was allowed recently by the Federal Court who rapped High Court judge S Augustine Paul, the trial judge, for acting more like a prosecution instead of a judge in the contempt proceeding.

Due process done

Meanwhile, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Dr RaisYatim, when contacted in Pendang, Kedah, said everyone should respect the court's decision.

"Whether or not one is amenable to the decision is something else, because some quarters will certainly disagree with the outcome.

"The fact is that due process [is done] and the rule of law has spoken and everyone should respect that," he said.