KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 14 (AFP) - A close aide to Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad admitted paying people to invent stories about homosexual acts by then-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim, a court heard Monday.

Raja Kamaruddin Raja Wahid, a defence witness in Anwar's sodomy trial, testified that Abdul Aziz Shamsuddin -- Mahathir's then-political secretary and now deputy education minister -- told him of the lies in a meeting on June

The aim was to destroy Anwar's reputation so he could never become prime minister, he said.

Anwar, sacked in September 1998 and then detained after leading mass anti-government protests, was once Mahathir's heir apparent.

Defence lawyers have said they plan to call Mahathir, 74, to testify on Thursday but the prosecution is expected to object.

Raja Kamaruddin, a branch leader in Mahathir's United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) party in 1998, said Friday that Aziz vetted and changed the letters in which the allegations of Anwar's sexual misconduct were first made.

They were written by Anwar's driver Azizan Abu Bakar and by Ummi Hafilda Mohamad Ali, the sister of Anwar's former political secretary.Anwar and his adopted brother Sukma Darmawan are charged with sodomising Azizan between January and March 1993. Sodomy is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Resuming his evidence Monday, Raja Kamaruddin said Aziz told him he was paying Azizan and Ummi Hafilda to make up stories.

"Aziz said there would be no problems from Azizan and Ummi Hafilda because they were short of money and when I (Aziz) give them money and ask them to make up stories and make whatever changes to statements they have made related to sodomy charges against Anwar, they did that," he testified.

"Aziz also said the best way to topple Anwar was by making up charges on sodomy and adultery, and other matters would not have any such effect."His work was to spread whatever stories were made up by Ummi and Azizan to Anwar supporters so that they would hate Anwar."

He said Aziz told him he had wanted revenge against Anwar for a long time."Aziz told me 'Why does Anwar want to become prime minister? It would be better for Pak Lah (Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) to become prime minister.'"Abdullah succeeded Anwar as deputy premier.

Anwar was jailed for six years last April for abusing his official powers to cover up the allegations of sexual misconduct. He says he fell foul of a political conspiracy after threatening to expose official corruption. The government denies any plot.

Raja Kamaruddin said that at his meeting with Aziz he saw about 100 copies of a book entitled "Fifty Reasons Why Anwar Cannot Become Prime Minister." He said Aziz told him he had distributed copies to all government departments.

Raja Kamaruddin said he and Aziz also visited the office of a lawyer named Rais Zainuddin, who told him to spread stories that Anwar was an agent of the US Central Intelligence Agency.

It was then that he decided to tell Anwar of the plot "because I could not accept these lies of sodomy and adultery against him."

A meeting was arranged at 1 a.m. the next day and "Anwar asked if I was bold enough to lodge a report against Aziz."

Raja Kamaruddin said he told Anwar: "This is no small matter. Accusations of sodomy, trying to pit Anwar against the prime minister, will destroy the country, cause a split among UMNO members and bring shame to its leaders."Anwar did not press him to take any action but he decided to make a videotaped confession.

"I was made to understand that Aziz Shamsuddin is the most powerful man in Malaysia, that he is trusted and is very close to the PM.

"I made the video so that Anwar could use it if anything happened to me, if I died or something. I also made an official report to Anwar about the conspiracy and also a statutory declaration."

Asked by defence lawyer Gurbachan Singh whether he wrote a letter about the conspiracy to Mahathir on August 15, 1999, he replied "Yes." Police also recorded two statements from him.

The case was continuing Monday.