Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin today failed in his bid to amend his statement of defence with regard to Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim's RM100 million suit against him.

Following this, Kuala Lumpur High Court Judicial Commissioner SM Komathy Suppiah fixed costs at RM5,000 against Khairy. She also fixed trial on Nov 28 and 29.

According to Anwar's lawyer, J Leela, Khairy wanted to amend his defence to highlight a less defamatory meaning.

However, according to Leela, Khairy's lawyers failed to provide particulars of facts as required by standard court practices. Following this, the court dismissed his application.

               

Khairy was represented by lawyer Jeffrey John. Parties met Komathy in her chambers.

Previously, it was reported that the Rembau MP was not allowed by the High Court from defending himself in his defence.

However, the Court of Appeal overturned the decision and set-aside the High Court order and ordered the trial to be held before another judge.

Anwar had on March 7, 2008, filed the suit against Khairy for uttering defamatory words against him and causing the posting of a video clip titled 'Anwar and kin no threat' to be uploaded on websites, including Malaysiakini.

Khairy was the Umno Youth deputy chief then.

The opposition leader claimed that the video clip on Malaysiakini contained defamatory words spoken by Khairy at a ceramah in Lembah Pantai in Kuala Lumpur on Feb 20, 2008.

Khairy, in his statement of defence filed almost two years' later, relied on the defence of justification and qualified privilege.