Anwar-Khairy defamation suit to be heard on May 7-8

The High Court here has set two days, from May 7, for hearing of opposition chief Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's RM100 million defamation suit against Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

Judicial Commissioner S.M. Komathy Suppiah fixed the date in chambers today, during which Anwar was represented by lawyer J. Leela, and Khairy, by Lew Cho Kang.

Lew told reporters when met, that the court set May 7 and May 8 for trial after the earlier dates, Dec 4 and Dec 5 were vacated, while April 6 had been set for case management.

The plaintiff who is also Permatang Pauh member of parliament (MP), filed the suit against Khairy on March 7, 2008.

He alleged that the defendant who was at the time, Pemuda Umno vice chief, had caused a video clip, 'Anwar and kin no threat', to be circulated in the internet to slander him.

Anwar further claimed that the video clip which Malaysiakini.com also picked up, contained part of a slanderous speech that Khairy allegedly made about him at Lembah Pantai at or around Feb 20, 2008.

On Oct 20, the Federal Court granted leave to Khairy who is also Rembau MP, to appeal against a decision by the high court on Oct 9 last year to disallow him from amending his statement of defence.

Khairy resorted to the federal court after the Court of Appeal on Aug 20 struck out his appeal to amend the statement.