Malaysia's Anwar in hospital

Mr Anwar has suffered poor health in prison

Malaysia's jailed former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has been admitted to hospital with suspected pneumonia, his lawyer has said.

Mr Anwar, who is serving prison sentences totalling 15 years, has been suffering from a cold and fever for a nearly a week, said lawyer Sankar Nair.

He was transferred to Kuala Lumpur's main public hospital, where he is expected to stay for a few days.

Mr Anwar was sacked from his political post in 1998 after challenging Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, and was later jailed for corruption and sodomy.

He says the charges against him were politically motivated. Some Western governments have said his trials were unfair.

Slipped disc

Earlier on Friday Mr Anwar rejected a government offer of surgery in Malaysia for a back complaint he says was caused by a beating in custody after his arrest.

The government has repeatedly refused to allow Mr Anwar to travel to Germany for treatment.

But Mr Anwar and his family insist the treatment offered in Malaysia is too risky, Mr Anwar's lawyer said.

"All family members were involved in the decision-making and it was decided that the surgery offered is too invasive and is not suitable for Anwar," said Mr Nair.

He said the operation, which involved a titanium disc replacement, was relatively new to Malaysia and the family would continue to press for treatment in Germany.