Former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim today appointed lawyers to represent him in his qazaf (bearing false witness) review amidst them saying that it would be a challenge for them to get instructions from their client as he remains in prison.

According to lawyer Kamar Ainiah Kamaruzaman, they had wanted to seek further instructions from Anwar and had applied to meet with him for an hour today but their request was rejected by the Kuala Lumpur Syariah Court of Appeal registrar.

“It is going to be a challenge for us to get instructions from Anwar as he is in prison. We applied to meet Anwar for an hour but the registrar turned down our request.

“Following this, we will make another application to get further instructions from Anwar as we need to sit down and see him,” she said at the Syariah Court of Appeal in Putrajaya today.

Anwar appointed Kamar Ainiah, Rafie Mohd Shafie, Mohd Reza Mohd Rafie and Fazlina Mohd Sidek as his counsel to represent him in Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Jamil Khir Baharom's ( photo ) application to strike out Anwar's qazaf review application.

Kamar Ainiah said the Syariah Court of Appeal had not fixed a date to hear the application as Anwar had yet to reply to several affidavits filed by Jamil Khir.

Anwar wants a review of the Syariah Court of Appeal decision which refused the former opposition leader's qazaf appeal.

Dressed in white

Meanwhile, in a statement issued later, PKR's communication director Fahmi Fadzil said supporters and family members who were present at the courthourse today were initially barred from approaching Anwar.

“Only after we protested were family members allowed to approach and talk to him,” said Fahmi.

“As  a sign of protest against his treatment by the Prisons Department, particularly during the recent Hari Raya AidilFitri visit by family members, Anwar has issued a statement.

“And that is, 'I have come to court today dressed all in white as a sign of protest against my treatment by the prison authorities,'” said Fahmi.

He added that as a senior politician who has contributed much to the country, Anwar shouldn't be subject to such treatment.

He urged the Sungai Buloh Prison authorities and the Home Minister to be more aware of the situation.