KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 9 — The High Court here today dismissed an application by Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar to amend his defence in the RM100 million defamation suit filed against him by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Judicial Commissioner S.M. Komathy Suppiah made the decision in chambers in the presence of lawyers Sulaiman Abdullah representing Anwar, and Jeffery John, for Khairy (picture).

Sulaiman told reporters that Komathy dismissed the application with RM5,000 in costs, and fixed November 22 for case management.

On March 7, 2008, Anwar filed the suit against Khairy, claiming that the latter, who was then Umno Youth deputy chief, had uttered defamatory words and caused a video clip entitled "Anwar and kin no threat" to be posted on websites, including Malaysiakini.com.  

The opposition leader also claimed that the video clip on Malaysiakini.com included parts of Khairy's speech at Lembah Pantai on or around February 20, 2008. — Bernama