Anwar appeal delayed again

Anwar is set to stay in prison until 2014

Malaysia's highest court has postponed for the second time an appeal by jailed former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim against his conviction for corruption.

Anwar had been due in the Federal Court on 14 January, to try to overturn a six-year jail sentence for abusing his powers.

He has already lost an April 2000 appeal against the corruption conviction.

A separate appeal against a nine-year jail sentence for sodomy has not yet been scheduled.

The two sentences mean Anwar could be in prison until 2014 without remission.

Anwar's defence lawyer Sankara Nair said Monday's hearing was postponed at the attorney general's request.

"I don't know why they are postponing this time, no reasons have been given yet," he said.

The hearing was originally postponed in November due to the poor health of one of the three panel judges, who later died.