Lingam report: Dr M, others involved

Lingam report: Dr M, others involved 16 May 2008 - Malaysian Insider PUTRAJAYA, MAY 16 — A high-level inquiry found evidence that prominent government and judicial figures, including former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, were involved in a conspiracy to manipulate the appointment of judges, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Zaid Ibrahim said today. The Cabinet told the Attorney General's office today to undertake immediate investigations into the "possibility that offences against the law have been committed," Zaid told reporters. The revelation deals a major blow to the reputation of Malaysia's courts and bolsters allegations by many lawyers and opposition leaders that judicial corruption has tainted verdicts stretching back more than a decade. Demands for reform have jolted the judiciary after the opposition leaked a video in September that allegedly showed a well-connected lawyer, V.K. Lingam, speaking by telephone in 2001 to a former top judge, Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim, about the promotion of judges. Zaid said a panel that investigated the video found it was authentic and Lingam apparently conspired with his allies in the judiciary, government and corporate world to broker the appointment of judges. The video, filmed by a visitor to Lingam's house, shows him talking about ways to help Ahmad Fairuz become Malaysia's top-ranking judge with the help of business tycoon Vincent Tan and Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, a former Cabinet minister. In the video, Lingam is heard saying that he, Tan and Tengku Adnan had contacted Mahathir regarding judicial appointments. The inquiry's report said "there was conceivably an insidious movement by (Lingam) with the covert assistance of his close friends (Tan and Tengku Adnan) to involve themselves actively in the appointment of judges." "In the process ... Mahathir was also entangled," the report added. "Actions of the main characters concerned have the effect of seriously undermining and eroding the independence and integrity of the judiciary as a whole." Zaid said Lingam and the others would be investigated for possible offences such as obstruction of justice, sedition and leaking state secrets. Tengku Adnan did not answer calls to his mobile phone. Aides to Lingam, Tan and Mahathir could not immediately be contacted. All of them denied any wrongdoing while testifying at inquiry hearings earlier this year. Lingam claimed he may have been drunk when the video was shot. Ahmad Fairuz, who became chief justice in 2003 and retired last year, denied speaking to Lingam. Mahathir, Tengku Adnan and Tan insisted they were not part of any conspiracy. In Malaysia's legal system, the chief judge recommends candidates for senior judicial appointments and promotions to the prime minister, who can accept or reject those names. Malaysia's judiciary has long been plagued by claims of favouritism and influence-peddling. Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced last month an independent panel would be established to help select new judges as part of legal reforms. — AP ...more