The High Court today rejected Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar’s application to strike out Anwar Ibrahim’s RM100 million defamation suit.

High Court Judge Hue Siew Kheng made the ruling in chambers in the presence of Khairy’s counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, and Sulaiman Abdullah and J Leela who appeared for the opposition leader.

Speaking to reporters later, Muhammad Shafee said the judge rejected Khairy’s application on the grounds that the case was not the clearest case to be struck out.

He said the judge also ordered his client (Khairy) to pay RM7,000 as costs to Anwar.

He said with the ruling, the suit would go by way of a full trial.

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 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 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 is seeking 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 deputy chief, 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, economic and political welfare.

- Bernama