KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 9 — The Federal Court’s request for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s lawyers to prepare submissions for possible sentencing ahead of tomorrow’s decision was not extraordinary and did not indicate his appeal was rejected, Ramkarpal Singh said today.

Ramkarpal, one of the lawyers representing Anwar in the case, pointed out that such a request meant that all parties will be prepared for any outcome when they enter the courtroom tomorrow morning.

“It is normal for the courts (to request for this). The court is asking for all parties to come prepared,” Ramkarpal told Malay Mail Online when contacted.

“It does not mean a prejudgment of matters, it is not unheard of,” the Bukit Gelugor MP added.

News portal Malaysiakini had quoted international observer and Queen’s Counsel Mark Trowell as saying that such a request did not bode well for the chances of Anwar being acquitted tomorrow.

“That suggests that the defence’s appeal against the conviction and sentence will be refused.

“If that is so, Anwar will immediately be taken into custody,” Malaysiakini quoted Trowell as saying.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court had in 2012 acquitted Anwar of allegedly sodomising his former political aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan in an upscale Bukit Damansara condominium on June 26, 2008.

But the decision was later overturned by the Court of Appeal, last year, and the Opposition Leader was subsequently sentenced to a five-year jail term.

Anwar then appealed to the Federal Court, which announced that it will deliver its ruling on the case tomorrow.