Ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim's victory in a legal suit against an author, who penned a book containing numerous allegations against him, has helped clear his name, said his daughter.

Nurul Izzah said her family was relieved when the Kuala Lumpur High Court issued a favourable judgment last week.

"We are really grateful of the outcome because this would help clear his name. Of course the defendant can appeal but the decision by itself proved that the allegations against my father was baseless," she added when contacted.

Anwar was still deputy prime minister and finance minister when he filed the suit in 1998 against Abdul Khalid @ Khalid Jafri Bakar Shah (photo) and his wife, Rozihan Abdul Ghani - in her capacity as Media Pulau Langkawi publisher - for libel over the contents of the book.

He later obtained an injunction barring anyone from distributing or selling the book, entitled 50 Dalil Mengapa Anwar Tidak Boleh Jadi PM (50 Reasons Why Anwar Cannot Become PM). The book later became a subject of police investigations against Anwar.

Shortly after, then premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad sacked Anwar for alleged sexual misdemeanour. The latter maintained that the accusations were part of a political conspiracy against him.

Khalid who was awarded a datukship by the Malacca state government last year, also faces a criminal charge of sedition which is ongoing.

Lawyer absent

On Jan 20, Justice Hishamuddin Yunus ruled in favour of Anwar after he struck off Khalid's defence because his lawyer Shamsul Bahrain was not present in court.

The court was scheduled to hear an application by Anwar for Khalid to provide better and further particulars in regards to his defence.

Since Khalid's counsel was absent, his defence was deemed unable to forward those particulars.

Anwar's lawyer Faiz Abdullah said part of Khalid's defence was ordered to be expunged by the Court of Appeal last September.

"We had objected to his (Khalid's) defence in which he stated that he did not defame Anwar as he at that time was already convicted for sodomy. We said the defence should not be allowed partly because the criminal matter is entirely a separate issue and that when the book was written Anwar was not a convict yet," he said.

(The conviction was overturned by the Federal Court last year)

"The court of appeal agreed with us and ordered him (Khalid) to expunge that particular defence," he added.

Faiz said the parties will meet again to argue on the quantum of damages. However, the court has yet to fix a date.

Very determined

Meanwhile, Nurul Izah vowed that her family will continue its efforts to clear Anwar's name of sexual misdemeanour allegations until he is completely exonerated.

"We are so determined on this ..so much that people ask us are we out to persecute Dr Mahathir? I told them no...the allegations against papa was so serious and it's only our right to clear his name," she said.

Anwar, who served a six-year sentence for corrupt practice, had his sodomy conviction overturned by the Federal Court four months ago