The government and Attorney-General (AG) Abdul Gani Patail have been asked to break their silence on the call by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim's legal team for an end to the intimidation against them.

PKR legal bureau head R Sivarasa said this refers to the sedition charges brought against Padang Serai MP N Surendran, who is also counsel for Anwar in his appeal in his Sodomy II case.

Sivarasa ( right ) lamented the attitude of indifference of the government and the AG to the call for action by Anwar's legal team.

"Their silence and failure to act reinforces the public perception that Anwar is being denied a fair hearing in his final appeal," the Subang MP said in a statement today.

"How can the legal team be expected to prepare and argue its case with sedition charges hanging over the lead counsel merely for repeating Anwar's legal defence?"

The team had, on Oct 7, called for the withdrawal of the sedition charges against Surendran before the hearing of Anwar's appeal, scheduled for Oct 28 and 29.

Surendran was charged for a statement made in reference to Anwar's Sodomy II case.

He was charged a second time under the Sedition Act, also for a statement he made on the case, based on a video uploaded on YouTube.

Meanwhile, pointing out how there were only a few days left before Anwar's appeal, Sivarasa asked the government, as well as Gani, to "do the right thing" by allowing his client to have a fair hearing in his appeal.

"The pending sedition charges against lawyer Surendran must be withdrawn, and there must be no further interference or intimidation against Anwar's defence counsel," Sivarasa added.