Malaysia has objected to an application for Cherie Blair, the lawyer wife of British Prime Minister Tony Blair, to act in a controversial court case in the country.

Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail and Metramac, a highway tolls concession holder, were among several parties who objected to Mrs Blair's involvement in the case, which is linked to corruption allegations against a former finance minister.

As a foreign-based lawyer Mrs Blair, who is a human rights expert and a Queen's Counsel (QC), needs approval to appear in the case, which is scheduled to begin on June 14.

Abdul Gani said his office filed an application on Wednesday objecting to Mrs Blair's court appearance but declined to elaborate further.

"We filed an application and we'll leave it at that," Abdul Gani told AFP.

Metramac lawyer Peter Justin Skelcy said Mrs Blair did not fulfill the conditions required under Malaysian law, which states that foreign lawyers must prove they have special skills or experience not available among lawyers here.

"I state that although the applicant does possess impressive credentials and is an eminent QC, she does not specialise nor has she distinguished herself in the particular areas of law that will be adjudicated upon," Skelcy said in court documents obtained by the Star newspaper.

'Scandalous state of affairs'

Anti-corruption groups and Malaysia's opposition have called for an investigation into the Metramac case after a judge found its owners were awarded a RM764.2 million payout under the patronage of former minister Daim Zainuddin.

The sum, to compensate for tolls lost from major city roads, was handed over soon after two politically connected tycoons took over Metramac despite the government saying previously it had no funds for a payout.

An appeals court judge said in January that the evidence revealed "a scandalous state of affairs" and that "you may well ask how all this could have happened without the direct involvement of Daim".

Fawziah, the previous owner of Metramac, was awarded RM65 million in compensation.

Halim Saad, one of the tycoons involved who is seeking to wipe out all references to him in the critical judgement, also protested against Mrs Blair's presence in court.

"She seems to have appeared in seven reported (commercial) cases, hardly an outstanding achievement for a barrister of 30 years standing and a QC of 11 years' standing," Halim's lawyer Jason Wee Heng Loong said.