PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia (AP) -- Malaysia's highest court has overturned the sodomy conviction of former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim and freed him from prison, exactly six years after his firing ignited the country's worst political crisis.

A panel of the Federal Court ruled 2-1 to reverse the conviction against Anwar on Thursday.

He was expected to travel to Germany for surgery to treat a back injury stemming from a police beating in 1998.

Anwar was once considered the heir apparent of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, but Mahathir fired him and touched off widespread political turmoil.

Prime Minister Ahmad Abdullah Badawi, who succeeded Anwar as Mahathir's hand-picked heir, had been expected to take a softer line toward Anwar and put the divisive issue behind Malaysia after he took office last year.

Judge Abdul Hamid Mohamad read out the verdict over 11/2 hours. As it became apparent that Anwar, 57, would be freed, the former deputy prime minister -- wearing a neck brace and confined to a wheelchair -- exchanged excited glances with family members and gave a thumbs-up sign.

"We are not prepared to uphold the conviction," Abdul Hamid said. "We therefore allow this appeal and set aside the conviction and the sentence."

Abdul Hamid said that conviction was flawed because the chief prosecution witness, Azizan Abubakar, had repeatedly changed the dates of that he claimed Anwar had committed homosexual acts with him. Azizan had been the driver for Anwar's wife