Mr Anwars appearance in court last September, with a black eye and wearing a neck brace sparked international condemnation. He told the court he had been handcuffed and blindfolded, then hit at least seven times until unconscious.

Mr Noor denied the charge on Thursday, saying: "I plead not guilty, repeat not guilty."

Frances Harrison in Kuala Lumpur: The assault has caused the force considerable embarrassment

The former police chief resigned earlier this year after admitting to an official inquiry that he slapped Mr Anwar shortly after he was detained on corruption charges.

He said that he slapped Mr Anwar in a fit of anger, after the former deputy prime minister provoked him by calling him the "the father of dogs".

At that point, he said, he struck out at Mr Anwar. "I lost my cool, I lost my sense of control," he said. He denied suggestions that he was acting on orders from higher up and said he had acted alone.

'Potentially lethal'

Mr Noor told the royal commission set up to investigate the beating that he was under pressure at the time of the beating due to the chaotic situation in Kuala Lumpur with tens of thousands of people taking part in opposition demonstrations in support of Mr Anwar.

Mr Rahim Noor says he lost control under pressure

A doctor told the commission that Mr Anwar's injuries could have been potentially lethal and in court on Thursday lawyers for the former deputy prime minister asked for charges of attempted murder to be levelled.

The commission's report recommended that Mr Noor be indicted for attempting to cause grievous hurt to Mr Anwar saying it did not believe the former police chief had been provoked.

The charge against Mr Noor carries a maximum punishment of 3 years in jail and a fine at the judge's discretion.

His lawyers had argued that a medical report on Mr Anwar's injuries showed "simple hurt" and said Mr Noor should be indicted under a lesser charge carrying a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $500 fine.

'Grevious hurt'

"Section 325 under the Criminal Procedure Code defines what is grievous hurt such as breaking the bones," lawyer V. Sithambaram told the judge. "Unless you fall within the definitions, this is just simple hurt."

Mr Anwar's injuries caused widespread concern

He added that Mr Noor had had no opportunity to present his defence during the public inquiry.

Mr Noor's trial is expected to last 10 days with between 20 and 30 witnesses likely to appear.

Mr Anwar was sentenced last week to six years in prison after being convicted of abuse of his power while in office.

On Tuesday, Malaysia's High Court is due to ask the government whether it intends to pursue one of the five other charges against Mr Anwar, that he sodomised his family's former driver.