Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's claim that the majority of Malaysians believe the judiciary is independent is "insulting", said jailed ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim.

He said the comment is also a "blatant mockery of the truth" as many organisations involved in legal, judicial and human rights issues have condemned all court decisions made in respect of his corruption and sodomy trials.

"These organisations include the International Commission of Jurists, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the Malaysia Bar, which have been following the trials closely," Awar said in a statement released by his lawyer Sankara Nair today.

"(They have) clearly documented views about the gross travesty of justice, perpetuated by the highest judicial officers of the country."

Abdullah said on Jan 22 that Malaysia's judiciary is independent , contrary to the views of certain quarters, and that the "majority of the rakyat (people) accept and believe there is independence in the judiciary".

Abdullah made the statement after Anwar accused the judiciary of acting under the thumb of the executive when he failed to obtain bail and stay of execution pending appeal in the Federal Court against his conviction and nine-year jail sentence for sodomy.

An appeal filed earlier by Anwar and his adopted brother Sukma Darmawan Sasmitaat Madja against their conviction and sentence for sodomy had been rejected as well.

'Lip service'

Anwar also urged Abdullah to stop making "hypocritical" statements about his determination to seek the truth and to make some real efforts to prove his worth.

"He must stop paying lip service to efforts to establish the truth and start disbanding the apparatus that he had inherited from (former prime minister) Dr Mahathir (Mohamad)'s regime which was calculated to speak lies and propaganda," Anwar said.

"To insists on saying that the judiciary is independent when all the facts are more to the contrary, leaving us with the only logical conclusion that he is a mere puppet on a string pulled by Dr Mahathir."

Anwar further said it was obvious that Abdullah chooses to act pro-actively only in matters which serve his political interest.

"Chief among these is the overbearing design to ensure my continued incarceration at all costs and by whatever means. Related to this is a renewed round of repressive action on the part of the police to silence the opposition, particularly the Free Anwar Movement's peaceful gatherings," he added.