Supporters of jailed ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim yesterday continued a cross-country protest against his detention, a spokesman for the organisers said.

Badrul Hisham Shahrin of the Free Anwar Movement said 56 cars displaying flags and posters of Anwar joined the second day of the protest in Kuala Lumpur.

"We have now stopped at a shopping complex to distribute leaflets on Anwar, the trial and his poor health condition," Badrul told AFP .

On Saturday they defied police orders to end their first cross-country protest outside the capital in Sabak Bernam. Badrul said police had not attempted to break-up the convoy.

The protest came ahead of a possible bail decision today for Anwar, who was detained in 1998 and is serving a total of 15 years in prison for corruption and sodomy. The Court of Appeal will also review its decision to uphold his conviction and sentence for sodomy.

Lawyers to press for bail decision

His lawyer Sankara Nair told AFP that Anwar would press the three Court of Appeal judges to deliver their decision on his bail application.

"It has taken too long for the bail decision. Anwar needs treatment overseas urgently for a worsening back injury," he said.

Supporters want Anwar to be freed on bail before the upcoming general elections which are due by held by the end of the year but widely tipped to be called by April.

The opposition Parti Keadilan Rakyat (Keadilan), headed by Anwar's wife Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, and the Free Anwar Movement has planned a one-month convoy that will end in a mass rally in his homestate Penang on Feb 14, officials said.

The convoy campaign was aimed at testing new Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's tolerance for open dissent. Abdullah took over from veteran Mahathir Mohamad who retired Oct 31 after 22 years in power. - AFP