Their complaint follows an announcement by the Attorney General, leading the prosecution team, that Mr Anwar is now charged with committing sodomy with his wife's driver between January and March 1993, rather than in 1992 as previously stated, or in 1994 as the charge initially read.

Defence lawyers said their client had already given notice of his alibi for the charge and it was an abuse of process not to give them time to file another alibi for the new date.

They also complained that the three month period in which Anwar Ibrahim is now alleged to have committed sodomy is so broad as to make it difficult to produce a specific alibi.

The BBC's Frances Harrison: "Journalists are under reporting restrictions"

If convicted, Mr Anwar faces up to 20 years in jail and a whipping. The former deputy prime minister has already started serving a six year jail sentence for misuse of power.

His first trial, which ended in April, was strongly criticised by human rights organisations and independent observers.

The new trial is expected to be as controversial as the first one, and this time the judge has imposed reporting restrictions on journalists covering the proceedings.

The judge's order specifies that factual reports of evidence and the lawyers' submissions can be made public, but not comments or interviews.

Relatives in attendance

Mr Anwar's wife, parents and two eldest daughters came to court to take advantage of the opportunity to see him, as they are only allowed to visit him in jail once a month.

But the judge's order means that their comments on the proceedings can no longer be reported by journalists.

Anwar says charges are politically motivated

During the first trial for misuse of power, Mr Anwar and his wife repeatedly issued statements alleging that the proceedings were politically motivated.

Mr Anwar's brother, Sukma Darmawan, is also on trial, charged with abetting the crime and with committing sodomy himself.

Earlier, the courts threw out an appeal by Mr Anwar's adopted brother to have his six-month jail sentence for sodomy revised.

He alleges that police forced him to confess to sodomy with the former deputy prime minister.

Debate over civil liberties

Civil liberties are said to have declined under Mahathir

The trial of Anwar Ibrahim has prompted a debate about Malaysia's human rights record under Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

Mr Mahathir has been in office since 1981 and is the longest-serving elected leader in Asia.

Mr Anwar's sacking and consequent arrest in September led to countrywide protests and condemnation by human rights groups.