(AFP) The mother of jailed Malaysian politician Anwar Ibrahim died last night in hospital with Anwar at her bedside.

Anwar arrived at University Hospital at 7pm, escorted by more than a dozen prison officers, after prison authorities authorised his visit.

His mother, Che Yan Hamid Hussin, 74, died about 90 minutes later, said Anwar's lawyer Sankara Nair.

Nair said Che Yan, who had suffered a heart attack yesterday morning, was not conscious when Anwar arrived.

"He was very distressed," Nair said. "It is the first time I have seen him break down."

The funeral is set for this morning and Nair said prison authorities were expected to allow Anwar to attend.

The ex-deputy premier, sacked by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in September 1998, is serving a 15-year jail term for abuse of power and sodomy.

He has been in a separate hospital since Nov 25 with acute back pain due to a slipped disc and arrived at University Hospital in Petaling Jaya near Kuala Lumpur in a wheelchair.

Large crowd

Nair said a large crowd of supporters and family members was at the hospital.

They included Fadzil Noor, president of the opposition Parti Islam SeMalaysia; Lim Kit Siang, chairman of the Democratic Action Party; Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Anwar's wife and president of the National Justice Party; and Syed Husin Ali, president of the Malaysian People's Party.

Anwar's father was also at the hospital as were the politician's children.

In November 1999 Anwar, 53, was allowed out of jail to attend the funeral of his elder brother, who died of cancer.

Opposition parties at the time criticised the government for refusing to let him visit his brother while he was ill.