Date set for Anwar Ibrahim appeal

Malaysia's highest court has set the date for the final appeal hearing of former Deputy Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, against his conviction for corruption.

Mr Anwar's lawyer, Sankara Nair said the hearing would take place on 14 January in the Kuala Lumpur Federal Court.

Mr Anwar is seeking to overturn his conviction and six-year prison sentence for abusing his powers.

Last August he was jailed for another nine years for sodomy.

No date has yet been fixed for his appeal against that conviction.

His supporters say the charges were politically motivated, an allegation strongly denied by the Malaysian government.

Correspondents say that Mr Anwar remains a potent symbol for opponents of the ageing prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, who sacked Mr Anwar in 1998, a move that triggered large scale popular protests.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service