Anwar tries again to call Mahathir

Anwar tries again to call Mahathir

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysia's jailed ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim made a new move on Tuesday in his legal battle to make Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad testify in his sodomy trial.

Anwar filed a petition of appeal against the High Court's ruling which rejected defense demands that Mahathir be called as a witness.

Sankara Nair, one of his lawyers, said the petition contained 11 grounds of appeal as well as a plea that the matter should be heard by the court of appeal as soon as possible.

Anwar, fired by Mahathir in September 1998 and subsequently detained, was jailed for six years in April 1999 for abusing his official powers to cover up allegations of sexual misconduct. If convicted of sodomy he could be jailed for up to 20 years.