Jailed former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim was admitted into the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital this morning for a back injury.

One of his counsel, Sankara Nair, said, "Doctors confirmed through an MRI scan (Magnetic Resonance Imaging scan) that he is suffering from a slipped disk on his lower back. Therefore he will not be able to attend the hearing (of his appeal against charges of corruption) this coming Monday."

Anwar's lawyers will seek to postpone his appeal at the Federal Court this Monday to set aside the Court of Appeal's decision to uphold his conviction and six-year jail sentence imposed by the High Court in April 14 last year on four counts of corruption.

On April 29, a three-panel Court of Appeal presided by Lamin Yunus, unanimously dismissed Anwar's appeal against the conviction and jail term.

High Court judge Augustine Paul jailed Anwar after finding him guilty of abuse of power in asking the police to get a retraction from two individuals, Azizan Abu Bakar and Ummi Hafilda Ali, who had accused him of sexual misconduct.

Anwar was found guilty of committing the offences at his former residence between Aug 12 and 27, 1997.

In his petition of appeal filed on June 5, Anwar claimed that the Court of Appeal had failed to exercise its discretion judiciously.

He said that the court failed to adequately consider that the sentences imposed on him were manifestly excessive or the fact that the offences found to have been committed by him were technical in nature.