Anwar loses appeal against conviction

Anwar has reached the limit of the appeals process. A royal pardon is now his only option

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Former Malaysian deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim has lost his appeal against a corruption conviction at the country's highest court.

In 1999, in what Anwar calls a political conspiracy by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammed, he was convicted of corruption and sentenced to six years in prison. His conviction prompted nationwide protests against Mahathir in Malaysia.

"Suffice for me to say we are satisfied that the errors of law are not substantial. We therefore dismiss the appeal," The Associated Press reports Chief Justice Dzaiddin Abdullah as telling the court.

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Anwar has reached the limit of the appeals process. A royal pardon is now his only option.

"It's a sad day. We still have a long way to go to restore a truly independent judiciary and a just rule of law," veteran opposition leader Lim Kit Siang told reporters.

Supporters chanted as a wheelchair bound Anwar arrived at the Federal Court in a police vehicle on Wednesday morning. Riot police seized posters and arrested one supporter for distributing leaflets.

After the verdict Zulkifli Nordin, one of Anwar's lawyers, addressed the 300 supporters outside with a statement from Anwar.

"This is the death of Malaysia's justice system. We are in for dark days," AP reports him as saying.

Anwar, who was sacked and jailed after challenging Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in 1998, is also serving a nine-year sentence on sodomy charges, which he is appealing separately.

His wife, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, heads an opposition group, the National Justice Party, and has been attracting huge crowds at her rallies.