Next Friday, Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin will know whether he would succeed in striking out Anwar Ibrahim’s RM100 million defamation suit against him.

High Court Judge Hue Siew Kheng fixed the date after hearing submissions in chambers from counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah who represented Khairy, and Sulaiman Abdullah and J Leela who appeared for the opposition leader.

On Feb 21, this year, Khairy filed the application, saying that the suit was frivolous, vexatious and an abuse of the court process.

On March 7, 2008, Anwar, 64, filed the suit against Khairy, claiming that the latter, as the then-Umno Youth vice-chief, had uttered defamatory words and caused the posting on websites, including Malaysiakini.com, a video clip entitled, ‘Anwar and kin no threat’.

Anwar claimed that the video clip on Malaysiakini.com contained defamatory words spoken by Khairy at a ceramah in Lembah Pantai, Kuala Lumpur on or about Feb 20, 2008.

He said the defamatory words, among others, meant he was involved in activities contradictory to Islam, did not have good character and was unfit to hold political or other positions.

He sought RM100 million in aggravated and exemplary damages, as well as other relief deemed fit by the court.

Khairy, in his statement of defence filed on Oct 8, last year, said he relied on the defence of justification and qualified privilege.

He said, as Umno Youth vice-chief at that time, he had legal, moral and social responsibilities to the public and the Malay community, and the public had valid interest which was equivalent in acceptance of information on matters during discussion which had impact on social, economy and political welfare.

- Bernama