The High Court today allowed Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin’s application to further submit on his application to strike out Anwar Ibrahim’s RM100 million defamation suit against him.

Khairy’s counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah told reporters that Judge Hue Siew Kheng postponed the decision, who was scheduled to be delivered today upon his (Muhammad Shafee’s) request, as he needed to submit further on the application.

Muhammad Shafee said the court set Dec 14 to hear further submissions by both parties. Counsel Sulaiman Abdullah and J Leela appeared for the opposition leader.

Khairy filed the application on Feb 21 this year, 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 then Umno Youth deputy 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’ (political talk) in Lembah Pantai, Kuala Lumpur on or about Feb 20, 2008.

He said the defamatory words, among others, meant that 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 that as Umno Youth deputy 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