The Federal Court has again postponed the appeal by jailed ex-deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim against his conviction and six-year jail sentence for four counts of corrupt practices.

The appeal was scheduled for Jan 14. This is the third time the matter has been postponed since it was first slated to be heard by the Federal Court in November 2000.

Anwar's lawyer Sankara Nair told malaysiakini that he received a fax from the Federal Court registry earlier today informing him of the latest adjournment.

"I was told that the Chief Justice Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah has allowed the application by the Attorney-General's Chambers for the postponement," said Nair.

He said no new date has been fixed for the appeal.

"I was also not told of the reasons for the postponement," said Nair.

Meanwhile, when asked later at a function, Dzaiddin refused to comment as to why the matter was postponed.

The appeal, if it had proceeded next Monday, would take place only days before the Indera Kayangan by-election in Perlis where Keadilan candidate Khoo Yang Chong is in a straight fight with Barisan Nasional's Oui Ah Lan.

Postponed since 2000

The original appeal date on Nov 27, 2000, was put off indefinitely due to Anwar's back problem. The Federal Court then fixed (a date for) Nov 12 last year but that date was again postponed as one of the judges in the panel was hospitalised.

This Federal Court is Anwar's final venue of appeal against his conviction.

He was found guilty by the High Court in April 14, 1999 of abusing his power in asking the police to retract statements from two persons, Azizan Abu Bakar and Ummi Hafilda Ali, who had accused him of sexual misconduct.

Justice S Augustine Paul sentenced Anwar to six years jail for committing the offences at his (Anwar's) former residence between Aug 12 and 27, 1997.

Anwar's appeal to overthrow this verdict was dismissed by the Court of Appeal on April 29 last year by a unanimous decision of the three-panel court.

He said that the Court of Appeal, had merely affirmed the findings of Justice Paul without considering grounds of appeal.

In addition to the six-year imprisonment he received in this case, Anwar was also found guilty of committing sodomy and was sentenced to nine years jail by another High Court on Aug 8 last year.

Anwar is serving both the sentences consecutively.