The prosecution team in the sodomy trial of former deputy prime minister today tried to discredit Anwar Ibrahim as a defence witness during its cross examination.

"We are trying to show that Datuk Seri Anwar is not a credible witness," Abdul Gani Patil said in answer to High Court judge Arifin Jaka. The lead prosecutor's line of questioning seemed to adduce that Anwar was not telling the truth despite being under oath.

Gani's questions appeared to imply that Anwar was lying when he told the court that he did not approve the appointment of former police chief Haniff Omar as the director for Resort World Bhd, a company under Genting Berhad.

"I never agreed with any appointment of Muslims in a gambling company," Anwar said. Upon further probing by Gani, Anwar who is also former finance minister acknowledged that he unwillingly approved the application that was sent to the Finance Ministry due to pressure from Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

Earlier, Anwar told the court that he had never shared the same room with his adopted brother Sukma Dermawan Sasmitaat Madja although they lived in the same house when Sukma, an Indonesian, came to Malaysia in 1975.

"My room was more of a meeting place where people came in and out," Anwar said. He, however, agreed that Sukma continued to stay with him when he moved to three different houses prior to moving in to his official residence in 1994.

Anwar and Sukma are charged with sodomising ex-driver Azizan Abu Bakar on one night between Jan and March 1993 at 7.45pm.

While Gani's questions seemed to allude that there were many chances for the two brothers to be sexually intimate, Anwar repeatedly told Arifin that his wife, children and relatives were also living with him.

Anwar agreed he gave Sukma "a small sum of money" when he bought an apartment in Tivoli Villa, an upper-class residential area, where the alleged sodomy act took place. The sum, however, was not disclosed in court.

Anwar, currently serving a six-year jail term for corruption, is on trial for sodomy and sexual misconduct. He had repeatedly denied all charges and said they were cooked-up by political rivals to end his political career.

The trial resumes tomorrow with Gani to continue his cross-examination of the former prime-minister-in-waiting.