Jailed former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim will seek a second opinion before deciding whether to undergo surgery for his slipped disc condition.

This was said by his wife, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who was allowed to visit him at the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital yesterday.

"I have seen the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan report of my husband and I have also received copies of it. We have decided to seek a second opinion before deciding whether he should have surgery.

"The doctors say that in such surgeries the success rate is 80 percent but we are worried of the 20 percent risk. If anything goes wrong, it might just aggravate his condition further and cause complications," said Azizah.

Anwar, who is currently serving a 15-year-jail sentence at the Sungai Buloh Prison was admitted to KLGH on November 25 with a condition known as "prolapsed intervertebral disc" (slipped disc).

Refuting speculations that Anwar was immobile and bedridden, Azizah said her husband was still able to walk.

"In fact, he got up yesterday and managed to wave to his supporters breaking fast at the KLGH compound," she said.

(Anwar's supporters have been breaking fast and holding prayers at the KLGH compound daily since his hospitalisation.)

"However, Anwar is still on traction and the doctors have advised him not to move much as the pain is there," Azizah added.

Azizah said that Anwar was on medication to alleviate the pain. Electronic impulses were also being used to help lessen his discomfort.

Condition aggravated

Meanwhile, a surgeon at a private hospital said the surgery to correct a slipped disc was quite common and "if the patient is in the right hands and given the right treatment, there should be no complications".

"In a slipped disc condition, the nerves are affected. If the injury is to the lower lumbar of the spine, the main risk during surgery will be to nerves, particularly those to the legs.

"There are many variables that determine the condition of a patient. In Anwar's case, the two major falls that he had might have aggravated his condition," said the surgeon.

Anwar suffered a fall during a horse riding incident when he was still deputy prime minister. While he was in detention in 1988, he fell over a slab of cement during the infamous "black eye incident" when he was beaten by former police chief Abdul Rahim Noor.

Azizah also called on the prison authorities to allow her children to be with Anwar when breaking fast during the current Ramadan month.

"At present, we have to request for permission daily and it is entirely up to the discretion of the authorities to allow me and the children to visit Anwar.

"Anwar is in no position to escape or run away. As he is in pain, it would be very nice if the authorities could allow the children to be with their father.

"Today, it is already 17th day of fasting and when we visit him, we are asked to leave before breaking fast. It would be good if they could allow the children, especially the younger ones, to break fast with their father," said Azizah.