Anwar Ibrahim's appeal against the appellate court's decision to retain the sodomy charge against him will be heard by the Federal Court on May 4.

Anwar's counsel SN Nair told reporters that he was informed of the hearing date by the Federal Court registry by facsimile today.

The Permatang Pauh member of parliament lost his appeal at the Court of Appeal which ruled on Feb 17 that he had failed to show that the prosecution against him was oppressive to warrant the charge being struck out.

Anwar, 63, had sought to quash the sodomy charge on the basis of the findings of a medical report by three doctors that there were "no conclusive clinical findings suggestive of penetration to the anus/rectum".

The High Court dismissed the application on Dec 1 last year.

The PKR advisor is on trial for allegedly sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, 25, at Desa Damansara Condominium in Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur on June 26, 2008, an offence which carries a maximum 20 years jail and whipping, if convicted.

The defence is scheduled to cross-examine Mohd Saiful when the trial resumes on May 10.

- Bernama