KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 — The Court of Appeal struck out today a defamation lawsuit appeal by Khairul Azwan Harun against PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli who had accused the Umno Youth vice-chief of power abuse in a MARA property purchase.

A three-judge panel chaired by Datuk Hamid Sultan Abu Backer upheld the High Court decision to dismiss Khairul Azwan’s suit last October.

The appellate court also ordered the Umno man to pay RM10,000 in costs to Rafizi, news portal Malaysiakini reported.

According to the news portal, Khairul Azwan filed the suit last year accusing Rafizi of defaming him by claiming possible abuse in the federal Bumiputera empowerment agency’s purchase of an Australian property.

High Court judge Hamid S. Nantha Balan was reported saying Rafizi’s comments on Khairul Azwan were based on the Pandan MP’s research as well as court proceedings in Australia, which warranted an investigation as it was of public interest and did not contain malice as alleged.

The High Court had reportedly ordered Khairul Azwan to pay his political foe RM73,000 in costs, including RM23,000 that Rafizi was said to have spent on Australian documents to support his assertions.