Lingam Tape report: Cabinet to decide Friday
Malaysiakini.com
May 13, 2008 
Beh Lih Yi 

The cabinet will decide at its weekly meeting on Friday whether or not to make the
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‘Lingam Tape’ report public, said de facto law minister Zaid Ibrahim.

Speaking to reporters at the Parliament lobby today, Zaid - who revealed that he had read the report - said he would brief cabinet colleagues on its findings and recommendations during the meeting.

zaid ibrahim and vk lingam tape scandal Asked if the report will be made public, he replied: “It is possible... as you know, in the past, the royal commission reports were made available to the public. But the cabinet will decide (in this case).”

He said the matter is of public interest and that he believes the cabinet will take these factors into consideration in reaching a decision.

To a question on the next course of action, Zaid said the cabinet will decide on this as well on Friday.

A lawyer by training, he further said the report is not classified under the Official Secrets Act as he understands it.

The five-member inquiry commission set up to probe the ‘Lingam Tape’ handed over its 186-page report, which contains four recommendations, to the King last Friday.

Its chairperson Haidar Mohd Noor is also in favour of the findings being made public.

chief justice ahmad fairuz abdul halim and vk lingam According to Star, the commission has determined that it was former chief justice Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim who was talking to senior lawyer VK Lingam on the phone, and that the video clip is authentic.

The daily quoted sources as saying that the commission has found sufficient evidence of misbehaviour by certain persons mentioned or identified in the clip, and recommended action against those implicated in breaching various laws.

Zaid’s press conference this morning was held to counter a remark by Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, that he (Zaid) is not fit to be a minister.

Karpal questioned Zaid’s appointment, given that the latter had been found guilty of involvement in ‘money politics’ by the Umno disciplinary board in April 2005.

Rebutting this, Zaid reiterated that he was not involved in ‘money politics’ as alleged, also telling Karpal that he could lodge a report to the Anti-Corruption Agency.

Emergency motion

In a related development, Parliamentary Opposition Leader Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR-Permatang Pauh) demanded that the ‘Lingam Tape’ report be made available in the Dewan Rakyat for debate.

She gave notice to Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia today for an emergency motion demanding that the government tables the report in Parliament and that it also makes the findings public.

The speaker is expected to decide whether or not to accept the motion tomorrow or Thursday.

black 14 questioning 160408 wan azizah“Immediate action must be taken to restore public confidence in the judiciary whose image has been badly tarnished, as exposed by the Lingam Tape. It has raised questions of justice in relation to charges against Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Guan Eng and Wee Choo Keong,” she said in the notice.

Anwar had released segments of the tape from Sept 19 last year, leading to a public outcry on alleged fixing of judicial appointments and promotions for the apparent benefit of political and business personalities.

When eventually held, the open inquiry - conducted over 17 days in February - saw 21 witnesses called. Among them were Lingam himself, Ahmad Fairuz, former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, former chief justice Eusoff Chin and tycoon Vincent Tan.

Apart from Haidar, the commission members comprised former chief judge of Sabah and Sarawak Steve Shim Lip Kiong, former court of appeal judge Mahadev Shankar, former solicitor-general Zaitun Zawiyah Puteh and historian Professor Dr Khoo Kay Kim.

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