Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar will not have to file his amended statement of defence in a defamation suit against him by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, until his appeal at the Court of Appeal is heard.

High Court Judge Datuk Nik Hasmat Nik Mohamad made this decision today after allowing Khairy's application for stay to file the document pending hearing of his appeal on Feb 8.

Khairy is appealing against the court’s decision which had allowed Anwar’s application to amend his statement of claim in the suit.

Anwar filed the suit on Sept 7, 2007, claiming that Khairy, who was then the Umno Youth deputy chief, had defamed him in August 2007 at a political function in Kuala Kangsar, Perak.

Anwar stated that the alleged defamatory statements were carried by the print and electronic media on Aug 3, 2007.

- Bernama