A crowd of 300 reformasi-chanting supporters of jailed politican Anwar Ibrahim milled around the Federal Court complex in Putrajaya today to hear the politician's final bid for his bail application and to appeal against his conviction for a sodomy offence.

Anwar, still suffering from a chronic back pain, arrived at the court at about 8.20am from the Sungai Buloh prison. He was met by his lawyers and family members upon arrival.

The public gallery at the courtroom was filled with journalists as well as his supporters. Also present was an array of international observers and diplomats.

Anwar's trials has been condemned by the international community for being unfair and unjust.

The court was to have heard Anwar's appeal to overturn the sodomy conviction and nine-year jail sentence as well as his application for bail and a stay of execution pending disposal of this appeal.

However an application by Anwar to disqualify two of three judges meant that the appeal proper will only be heard tomorrow. Today, the court dismissed his application to recuse the judges.

The court will also hear a similar appeal and bail application by Anwar's co-accused and adopted brother Sukma Darmawan Sasmitaat Madja.

On Friday, the court had turned down an application by Anwar for a five-member bench to hear the appeal.

The selection of these "junior" justices to hear these appeals have been caused some concern among Anwar's supporters.

On Aug 8, 2000 High Court judge Arifin Jaka had found Anwar guilty of sodomising Azizan Abu Bakar, the former driver of his wife and opposition Parti Keadilan Rakyat (Keadilan) president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and sentenced the politician to nine years' jail.

He also sentenced Sukma to six years' jail and ordered the Indonesian-born businessman to be whipped four times for abetting Anwar.

On April 18 last year, a three-member Court of Appeal panel - judges Pajan Singh Gill, Richard Malanjum and Hashim Yusof - upheld Arifin's decision stating that there was no miscarriage of justice in the trial as claimed by the defence.

Anwar's repeated attempts for bail was also rejected by the Court of Appeal forcing him to file a fresh application at the Federal Court - the country's highest court.

Reform the judiciary

In the meantime, the Hong Kong-based Asian Students Association today called upon the judiciary to ensure that the appeals are conducted in a fair and just manner, and reiterated that Anwar should be freed.

The movement, comprising 54 national student movements from 31 countries across the Asia-Pacific region, also expressed its disappointment over the selection of judges to hear the appeals.

"The competence of the three justices is arguable and remains in question as the selection of judges has been highly politicised," said ASA's regional secretariat members Lee Khai Loon, Rey Asis and Madhav Nepal.

"The verdict of the court on Monday, May 10, will show the Malaysian government's attitude and treatment of its political prisoners.

"The previous court under the Mahathir (Mohamad) regime was riddled with corruption, nepotism and repression. Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is so promising in his reform agenda, needs to reform the judiciary in order to give justice for Anwar," they added in a statement.