Anwar Ibrahim will receive a hearing date for his application to review the Federal Court decision to reject his appeal to access more evidence for his sodomy trial from the prosecution this Friday.

This was decided after Anwar's defence team met Court of Appeal president Alauddin Mohd Sheriff in Putrajaya this morning.

"He said he will give us a date by Friday Insyallah (God willing), those are his exact words," said Karpal told reporters.

Defence counsel Sankara Nair said his team had submitted to Alauddin that the Anwar's sodomy trial today should be postponed until the upper courts resolve all the impending appeals.

This is because once the trial begins, it will cause irreversible damage to Anwar's reputation as a opposition leader as well as cause trauma to his family, said Sankara.

However, strong protests against a stay were made by representatives of the Attorney-General's Chambers led by Solicitor-General II Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden.

Stay bid dismissed

Sankara said Alauddin eventually decided in favour of the prosecution and said the trial should proceed as scheduled today.

Counsel said although the defence can ask for evidence and documents after the trial begins, Anwar's lawyers should be given all opportunities to obtain them before the trial starts in order to plan a strategy.

"We just want a fair trial,” Sankara said.

At the Kuala Lumpur High Court yesterday, where the sodomy trial is taking place, Justice Mohd Zabidin Mohd Diah dismissed Anwar’s application for a stay.

After hearing submissions from both parties, Mohd Zabidin ruled that there were no special circumstances to grant the stay.

The hearing is scheduled to resume at 2.30pm today.