The former deputy premier, who won a final-chance appeal in the country's top court Thursday against his conviction and nine-year sentence for sodomy, had hoped to leave late Friday on a private jet offered by the Saudi Arabian government, his aide Azmin Ali told AFP.

But there was a delay in the arrival of the aircraft and Anwar is now expected to fly out late Saturday, Azmin said.

Anwar's wife Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, several family members and his personal doctor will accompany him to Germany where he is expected to undergo surgery for an injury he says was caused by a police beating after his arrest in 1998.

"He has been in a very jovial mood yesterday and today but he is in severe pain. We are worried about his health and we want to get him to Germany as soon as possible," said Ezam Mohamad Nor, youth chief of the National Justice Party led by Anwar's wife.

Anwar, who is still nearing a neck brace and moves around in a wheelchair, earlier Friday picked up a new passport at the immigration department before meeting hundreds of well-wishers streaming into his home in a Kuala Lumpur suburb.