Khairy Files Application To Strike Out Anwar’s Defamation Suit
(Bernama) – KUALA LUMPUR — Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has filed an application to strike out Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim’s RM100 million defamation suit.
He filed the application on Feb 21, this year, on the grounds that the suit was frivolous, vexatious and an abuse of court process.
High Court Deputy Registrar Anisah Normah Muhammad Nor set June 16 for case management after meeting counsel Sarah Abishegam representing Khairy, and Sulaiman Abdullah for Anwar, when the case came up for case management today.
Abishegam told reporters that the court set the date for the parties to exhaust the affidavits for striking out application.
On March 7, 2008, Anwar, 63, 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 here 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 responsibility 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.
On Dec 4, 2008, Anwar obtained a judgement in default from the High Court against Khairy when he failed to enter an appearance after the writ of summons had been served on him.
However on Sept 24, last year, Khairy won his appeal to set aside the default judgment.
