Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has yet to see the appeal letter submitted to him last week by the family of jailed politician Anwar Ibrahim.

Anwar's eldest daughter Nurul Izzah, son Ihsan and their uncle Rosli Ibrahim delivered the letter to an official at Abdullah's office in Putrajaya on June 27.

"I have not seen the letter yet, but it may be at the (Home) ministry. I had been very busy travelling last week," he told malaysiakini this morning.

Abdullah was away from his office at that time. When asked by reporters about the letter the following day, he said he had not received it but will take action accordingly once he read the letter.

The letter appealed to Abdullah, who is also Home Minister, to allow Anwar to undergo a spinal operation overseas.

Prison authorities have refused to allow the former deputy prime minister to be operated at a specialist spinal clinic in Munich, Germany.

Anwar, who is serving a jail sentence of 15 years for abuse of power and sodomy, was admitted to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital with a slipped disc last November.

He was moved back to the Sungai Buloh prison on May 10 after he rejected the government's offer for spinal surgery at the hospital.

Anwar insisted he has a right to a less risky endoscopic spinal operation in Munich.

Suit

The Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) on May 31 supported Anwar's right to have his preferred treatment, saying there were no prohibitions in the law for Anwar to be sent abroad for medical treatment.

A group of 108 luminaries - including national laureates Syed Ahmad Jamal, Usman Awang and Muhammad Haji Salleh, artist Redza Piyadasa, thespian Krishen Jit and novelist KS Maniam - had written to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, imploring the government "to show mercy" and allow Anwar his choice of treatment.

Meanwhile, Anwar's lawyer Sankara Nair, when contacted today, said that he would file a suit at the High Court soon if no response was forthcoming.

"We will wait a day or two for the minister's reply. Otherwise, we will proceed with the suit," he told malaysiakini .