The wife of former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim has objected to the conditions imposed by the government on his application for a foreign specialist to treat his acute back pain, claiming political interference in the management of Anwar's health.

Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who is also Keadilan's chief said that she found the conditions oppressive and unjust after she had studied them.

"They would also be considered cruel if applied to any patient," she said today.

"There appears to be political interference in the management of Anwar's health condition," she added.

Last Saturday, the director of Sungai Buloh prison and the director of the Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) issued a press statement on the government's decision to grant conditional approval for a German spine specialist to examine Anwar.

The cabinet has since approved the application, made on Feb 7, and has left it to Home Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Health Minister Chua Jui Meng to deal with the matter.

Conditions

HKL director Abdul Razak Kechik told a news conference that the government allowed the conditions entirely on "compassionate grounds", but it must have written agreement from Anwar.

Anwar was asked to bear all costs relating to the consultation, examination, treatment and procedures performed by the German specialist.

He was also to be fully responsible for all risks and disabilities involved in or consequential to the treatment and procedures performed by the specialist.

HKL specialists will witness all consultation, treatment, procedures and examination performed by the specialist and the specialist is required to come to HKL to examine Anwar within 14 days.

All matters relating to the surgery are to be done entirely in HKL, requisite equipment can be brought to the hospital for the purpose, but Anwar will not be allowed to be treated overseas, nor will he make any such request.

Blanket indemnity

Wan Azizah said that the expectation that an accident could take place during and after the surgery and the demand that Anwar bear all risks regardless of whoever or whatever may have caused the accident is disturbing.

She added that the condition that states that Anwar alone will be responsible in the event of any act of commission, omission or negligence by anyone involved in the surgery either during or after the surgery is "most unreasonable and unjust".

"The above condition is far-reaching wherein it seeks a blanket indemnity from Anwar in respect of negligent acts or acts of commission or omission committed by anyone," she said.

"We can only accept risks that are directly attributed to negligence on the part of Anwar or the said German doctor and his agents or servants," she added.

She also said that the 14-day time frame for the German doctor to examine Anwar is constraining and most impractical as Anwar was only able to consult with his lawyer on Feb 12.

Limiting the treatment and surgery to be performed only at the HKL and rejecting the possibility of using facilities that might be more appropriate and available in other medical facilities are most restrictive, she said.

"It is tantamount to 'putting the cart before the horse'. It appears to be a charade to deflect allegations against the government that Anwar was denied his rights as a patient," said Wan Azizah.

She also stressed that it was inappropriate for the authorities to ask Anwar to agree to the conditions on behalf of the German specialist.