The lawyer of jailed deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim today questioned the delay by Hospital Kuala Lumpur in releasing his client's medical records, raising the issue of whether hospital authorities are attempting to disregard his request made two weeks ago.

Counsel Sankara Nair (photo left) claimed that Kuala Lumpur Hospital's (HKL) silence over his written request, made on May 31, raises the question of whether medical authorities were "playing politics" with Anwar.

Hospital Kuala Lumpur principal assistant director Ng Thiew Kim when contacted said she was unaware of Sankaran's request.

"If a request has been made, standing instructions say that a patient should get (their medical records) within two months," said Ng.

Anwar has served out his sentence for corruption, and is expected to face nine more years for a sodomy conviction at the Sungai Buloh prison.

Instructions questioned

Asked to respond to Ng's statement, Sankara said he questioned HKL's purported 'standing instructions', when other hospitals are able to respond and state that they will comply to the request.

"They should show me these orders. What are they?" he said.

Making reference to Anwar's past experience with HKL, Sankara claimed that the hospital has a record of consistently acting in "bad faith" against his client, and the latest move suggests little difference.

He said when Anwar first complained of back pains back in1999, HKL authorities took a long time to determine that he was suffering from a slipped disc condition on his spine.

The first MRI scan conducted on Anwar, he said, was "apparently erased according to procedure" and a second one needed to be made.

"Our experience proves HKL's mala fide (bad faith)."

Another appeal

Sankara said he needs all of Anwar's medical data in order to make another application to the government to be granted the right to undergo endoscopic surgery in Munich, Germany.

"His medical situation is not very good...so we decided to comprehensively gather all his medical data in order to submit this to the government. The Inter Parliamentary Union and Unesco have also been making inquiries into his health," he said.

Anwar had argued that it is his fundamental right to have access to the procedure and doctor of his choice.

But the government has steadfastly refused his numerous requests, offering instead that his surgery be performed locally. Anwar has declined the alternative treatment on grounds that open surgery was risky.

Early this year, the former deputy prime minister suffered a minor prolapse of another disc.

Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, which treated Anwar for his arsenic poisoning, has in writing agreed to Sankaran's request "as soon as possible".

Klang Hospital, which examined the bruises Anwar had suffered while under custody of then Inspector-General of Police Abdul Rahim Noor, has also agreed to prepare Anwar's medical records.