Jailed ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim has accused judges of lacking 'moral courage' since the Court of Appeal has yet to deliver a judgment for his bail application on his sodomy case.

In a statement released via his lawyer Sankara Nair yesterday, Anwar said he was amazed that Justices Pajan Singh Gill, Hashim Mohd Yusof and Richard Malanjum were still unable to issue a verdict after four months.

"It is so tragic that judges of the Superior Court lack the moral courage to honour their oath of office, uphold the rule of law and to stand up for what's right.

"

I must express my abhorrence in the manner in which my application for bail is treated by the Court of Appeal. This is an issue that is so basic that even a magistrate can dispense expeditiously as a matter of course," he said.

Directive breached

Meanwhile, Sankara said he and another of Anwar's lawyers Karpal Singh have made numerous enquiries to the Court of Appeal registry over the past few months.

"We have asked them time and again but they only told us no decision yet," he said when contacted.

Sankara said the delay breached a directive from the chief justice last year that judgments be issued six weeks after the arguments have concluded.

On July 23, after the counsel completed their arguments, Justice Pajan had promised to deliver the judgment as soon as possible.

Anwar and his adopted brother Sukma Darmawan Sasmitaat Madja are seeking bail pending their appeals against the Kuala Lumpur High Court's decision to convict them for sodomy.

The former deputy premier was ordered to serve a nine-year sentence while the Indonesian-born Sukma was sentenced to six years in prison and four strokes of the rotan.

Medical examination

In a related development, Sankara said the Prison's Department has yet to respond to the application to have Anwar's slip disc condition examined by his own medical team.

"They are still keeping mum on the issue, which is quite unbecoming considering that his life may be in danger," said the lawyer.

Th application was sent to Sungai Buloh prison director Hassan Sakimon on Aug 21. It was made following Anwar's complains of "renewed severe back pain".