The dramatic testimony from driver Azizan Abu Bakar followed intense questioning from defence counsel Christopher Fernando and triggered gasps from the packed courtrooom.

``I put it to you that it was because Anwar Ibrahim did not do anything to you that you continued to visit his house between 1992 and 1997. Otherwise you would have kept far away from his house,'' Fernando said.

``Yes,'' Azizan replied. But he added he wanted the question repeated as ``I don't understand what `not doing anything' means.''

Fernando said: ``I put it to you that Anwar Ibrahim did not sodomise you. That's why you kept going to his house between 1992 and 1997.''

Azizan replied: ``Yes.''

During his testimony last week, Azizan repeatedly stuck by his story that he was sodomised ``several times'' by Anwaragainst his will in 1992.

Speaking to reporters as the court adjourned for lunch, Fernando said Azizan ``quite obviously'' discredited himself. ``Three times I asked the question and he finally said yes,'' he said.

Fernando said Azizan's reply was ``good enough for us'' and that it was now up to the prosecution to decide how to proceed.

Asked if he was surprised by the response, the defence counsel said: ``I was pressing him and there were some objections but he finally said yes. He knew what it was all about.''

Anwar is on trial on four counts of corruption alleging he used his position to cover up claims of sexual misconduct against him.

The former protege of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad also faces a fifth corruption charge and five charges of sodomy. He has denied all the charges.

Anwar, who was fired in early September and arrested 18 days later after leading a huge anti-Mahathir rally in the capital, faces up to 14 years if convicted of corruption. The sodomy charges carry a maximumpenalty of 20 years in jail plus whipping.

Earlier Fernando asked Azizan why he made his allegations through Ummi Hafilda Ali, the sister of Anwar's private secretary at the time.

``Because I trusted her,'' Azizan said, prompting laughter from Anwar's family members including his 18-year-old daughter Nurul Izzah who was seen giggling at the response.

Asked why he thought the allegations would be believed if he went through Ummi, Azizan said: ``Because Ummi suspected the accused of having an affair with her sister-in-law Shamsidar.''

Shamsidar Taharin is the wife of Anwar's former private secretary.

Azizan also said he went through Ummi because he had ``no faith in the police'' believing his allegations.

``I am just a driver and there is no way the police would have believed me and my story,'' he told the court.

The trial of Anwar resumed two days after defence lawyers again failed to get the ousted deputy premier released on bail.

On Saturday, the court of appeal withheld a ruling on thelatest application for bail and scheduled another hearing in a week.

Complaining of limited access to their client, Anwar's lawyers urged the court to reverse a High Court ruling on October 5 which rejected his plea for bail, arguing that Anwar might tamper with witnesses if freed.

But Anwar's legal team have said that it is difficult to get instructions from their client while he remains in custody.