The government medical board has recommended that Federal Court judge Mohtar Abdullah be considered a permanent invalid.

In a report o­n the judge's health, the board confirmed that Mohtar, who has yet to recover from a stroke last year, is in a "vegetative state" and opined that his condition may not improve.

It is believed that the report has been sent to Chief Justice Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim for further action.

'Can't confirm'

However, a special officer to Ahmad Fairuz could not confirm the report.

"The chief justice is not sure whether he has received the letter and will check o­n it as soon as possible," the officer said when contacted today.

The last time the chief justice visited Mohtar was a month ago.

Mohtar, 58, was said to have suffered a stroke due to a blood clot in his brain, when he collapsed in his home o­n Aug 5 last year. He was then rushed to the Subang Jaya Medical Centre (SJMC).

Although he did not regain consciousness, his condition was stable and he was subsequently discharged from SJMC.

However in January this year he was admitted to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) for breathing difficulties, where he remains until today.

Anwar prosecutor

Mohtar served as attorney-general from January 1994 to December 2000.

He headed the prosecution team in the corruption and sodomy trials of ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim in the late 1990s. The trials have been slammed by international legal bodies as a miscarriage of justice and tomorrow, Anwar is awaiting the Appellate Court's decision o­n his appeal against the sodomy conviction.

Mohtar was accused of being part of a political conspiracy to oust Anwar, a charge which the former chief prosecutor repeatedly denied.

On Jan 23 last year, amid much controversy, Mohtar was appointed a Federal Court judge.

Rendered unfit

A copy of the medical board's report which was made available to malaysiakini stated that Mohtar had been put under rehabilitative care (rawatan pemulihan) from Dec 17 last year until today.

It stated that apart from his first stroke in August, Mohtar suffered another o­ne o­n Feb 20 this year.

"We confirmed and we are of the opinion that the officer is in a vegetative state.

"Due to his first stroke, his neurology condition is at 'status quo' which means that he is unaware of his surroundings, he is unable to speak, see or move. After eight months, this condition may not improve."

The board was of the opinion that such condition has rendered Mohtar unfit to continue his duty as a judge or as a government officer.

"We recommend that he is to be considered as permanently ill," they said in the report.

In its additional recommendation, the board proposed that Mohtar be discharged from HKL and continue receiving nursing care at home.

It also recommended that all treatment and nursing care facilities give to Mohtar be borne by the government "considering his contributions to the country".

"As his condition is permanent, the financial implication is high and his family may have difficulties in financing the treatment alone," the board said.