The BBC's David Willis reports on "the most talked about bedding in Asia"

The courtroom in central Kuala Lumpur fell silent as four policemen brought in the mattress, wrapped in brown paper, at the start of proceedings on Tuesday.

The grey coloured mattress had 13 holes cut in it which Assistant Commissioner of Police Musa Hassan said had been where samples had been taken for comparison with samples of DNA taken from Mr Anwar.

"While examining the mattress on July 10, 1998, I saw patches on the cloth which I suspected to be seminal stain," he told the court as he unwrapped the mattress.

The results of the DNA tests have not yet been disclosed to the court.

Sexual liaisons

Anti-government protests have followed Mr Anwar's arrest

The mattress was taken from an apartment where Mr Anwar allegedly had trysts with the wife of his private secretary.

The apartment was the property of a company belonging to Mr Anwar's former tennis partner Solaimalai Nallakaruppan, who currently faces charges in a separate case of illegally possessing ammunition - a charge that carries a mandatory death sentence.

David Willis in Jakarta: "Sponge stuffing spilled from the areas where the mattress had been cut."

Police say they found the ammunition whilst investigating allegations in the contained in the book "Fifty Reasons Why Anwar Cannot Become Prime Minister" that Mr Nallakaruppan had arranged sexual liaisons for Mr Anwar.

Allegations of conspiracy

Anwar and his wife have become the focus of Malaysia's reform movement

Mr Anwar, who until recently was seen as the natural successor to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has pleaded not guilty to five counts each of corruption and illegal sex acts, saying he was framed by political opponents out to destroying his career.

Mr Anwar, who was sacked in September, currently faces abuse of power charges related to him seeking to cover up alleged sexual misconduct. He will be tried separately on charges of engaging in illegal sex acts.