By Prem Kumar
KUALA LUMPUR
The daughter of Malaysia's imprisoned former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim is in the United States seeking support in lobbying for his medical rights.
Ibrahim's lawyer Sivarasa Rasiah told Anadolu Agency in June that his client's condition has declined and is now at a worrying stage.
"Doctors have written that he [Ibrahim] needs intensive assessment and care for his instability of blood pressure, a four centimeters [1.6 inch] growth in a kidney which needs a CT scan, gastritis which needs a diet without gluten, a torn shoulder muscle and chronic arthritis," he said.
"He has also lost six kilograms [13.22 pounds] since he was jailed."
On Tuesday, Ibrahim's daughter -- opposition lawmaker Nurul Izzah Anwar -- told Anadolu Agency that the Malaysian government would still not allow him to have crucial shoulder surgery.
"Even doctors are not allowed to conduct regular checks on him," she said via email.
"I'm here to push the U.S. State Department officials, politicians, civil society leaders and lawyers to push the Malaysian government to attend to his medical needs immediately."
Anwar said that a panel of doctors chosen by the government continued to recommend that the former deputy prime minister undergo microsurgery or a shoulder replacement.
However, she claimed the government is not acting on the proposal, and that Ibrahim's condition is continuing to deteriorate.
In the email, Anwar also said that she will be updating U.S. officials on a $700 million corruption scandal involving Prime Minister Najib Razak, as well as on recent street rallies for freedom of speech.
Many Malaysians from all walks of life are demanding the resignation of Razak over allegations of graft and financial mismanagement at debt-ridden state fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), and a multi-million-dollar donation made into his personal account.
Although Malaysia's anti-graft agency has verified that the funds were a donation from the Middle East, on Aug. 3 it said it would ask Razak to explain why the money was placed into his private account.
1MDB -- where Razak serves as advisory board chair -- has run up 42 billion Ringgit ($11 billion) in debt in just six years of business.
Ibrahim is currently serving five years in jail for sodomising his former aide Saiful Bukhari Azlan.
