Anwar Ibrahim will fly to Munich on Saturday to seek treatment for a long-standing spinal injury, two days after his surprise release from six years of jail, aides said today.

The former deputy premier, who won a final-chance appeal in the country's top court Thursday against his conviction and nine-year sentence for sodomy, had hoped to leave late today on a private jet offered by the Saudi Arabian government, his aide Azmin Ali told AFP .

But there was a delay in the arrival of the aircraft and Anwar is now expected to fly out tomorrow, Azmin said.

In severe pain

Anwar's wife Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, several family members and his personal doctor will accompany him to Germany where he is expected to undergo surgery for an injury he says was caused by a police beating after his arrest in 1998.

"He has been in a very jovial mood yesterday and today but he is in severe pain. We are worried about his health and we want to get him to Germany as soon as possible," said Ezam Mohamad Nor, youth chief of Parti Keadilan Rakyat led by Anwar's wife.

Anwar, who is still nearing a neck brace and moves around in a wheelchair, earlier today picked up a new passport at the immigration department before meeting hundreds of well-wishers streaming into his home in a Kuala Lumpur suburb.

The 57-year-old politician has said he intends to return to politics after his treatment in Germany, which is expected to take three weeks.