The Kuala Lumpur High Court today ordered Khairy Jamaluddin to pay RM3,000 in costs to Anwar Ibrahim after the minister's lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah failed to abide by a court directive to file his written submission to include an additional defence of “fair comment” on time.

The youth and sports minister wanted to include the additional defence before the submissions on May 19, as the long-standing trial of this defamation suit concludes with the calling of witnesses from both parties.

Judicial Commissioner Azizul Azmi Adnan made the order on costs after the court through its registrar had directed Shafee's law firm to submit their written submission by April 10, and extending it to last Thursday...