The Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) said it has paid jailed former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim a visit following complaints on his state of health.

The commission in a statement said it made the visit to Sungai Buloh prison on Tuesday following a memorandum submission from NGO Otai Reformasi on Oct 2, which highlighted five issues concerning Anwar's health in incarceration.

Suhakam has also sent a letter to the Health Ministry seeking further clarification on Anwar's situation.

"The Commission visited the Sungai Buloh prison to get clarification and further information from the prison, and to meet with Anwar Ibrahim.

"The commission is now awaiting feedback from the Ministry of Health and preparing its visit report to the prison," Suhakam commissioner James Nayagam said.

However the statement did not provide any details, pending a report to be released at a future date.

Otai Reformis had said that Health Ministry deputy director-general Dr Jeyaindran Sinnadurai should be removed as the head of the expert panels looking into Anwar's shoulder injury.

They claimed that Jeyaindran has a conflict of interest and that he is allegedly unprofessional in his treatment of Anwar.

The patient's right to choose his or her own consultants under the medical code of ethics has also been denied of Anwar, they said.

Anwar as a patient also has the right to get an independent second medical opinion, they added, but he has also been denied this.

His relatives, meanwhile, have been deprived of their rights to receive medical information regarding Anwar's condition, said the NGO.

Lastly, they concluded that as Anwar has not been medically treated competently, fairly or with respect, he should be transferred to a medical institution trusted by his family.

Anwar is serving a five-year jail sentence for sodomy, a charge he claims is politically motivated although the authorities insist otherwise.

His family has been vocal about his deteriorating health in prison and his alleged medical mistreatment.