November 16, 2007 19:01 PM
Royal Commission To Be Set Up To Probe Controversial Video Clip
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 16 (Bernama) -- A royal commission will be set up to investigate a video clip featuring a purported telephone conversation between a prominent lawyer and a senior judge over the appointment of judges.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the establishment of the panel was deemed appropriate based on the report by a three-man panel set up to determine the authenticity of the video clip recently.
"We've agreed to set up the commission. Now we're deciding on the terms of reference, the tasks to be undertaken by the commission," he told reporters after calling on Uruguayan President Dr Tabare Vasquez and his wife, Maria Auxiliadora Delgado de Vasquez, who are making a five-day visit to Malaysia, here today.
Abdullah said the three ministers who were tasked by the cabinet to give legal input on the report by the three-man independent panel would give their views and suggestions at the weekly cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
The prime minister said the members of the royal commission would be determined after its terms of reference were finalised.
Asked whether the government was pressured into establishing the commission by certain groups, Abdullah reiterated that the decision was based on the report submitted by the special panel.
"Before this we said that please wait for the panel to come up with its report. The report is out and based on its contents, it appears that it is appropriate to set up the royal commission, hence our decision," he said.
The special panel comprised former Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Haidar Mohd Noor, social activist Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye and former Court of Appeal Judge Datuk Mahadev Shankar.
The three ministers asked to give legal input on the panel's report are Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz and Home Minister Datuk Seri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad.
Lingam's brother lodges 'explosive' report. My brother not of sound mind: Lingam
Controversy-ridden lawyer VK Lingam today described his enstranged brother, who had leveled numerous accusations of judicial corruption against him, as being delusional. 'Hallucinations, suicidal tendencies' He is being exploited Lawyer V.K. Lingam's brother lodges 'explosive' report
PETALING JAYA (Nov 19, 2007): A brother of prominent lawyer Datuk V.K. Lingam has lodged a police report against him, containing explosive allegations of offers of gifts to a former top judge, a former police top brass, and a former top officer of the Attorney-General's Chambers.
Electrician K.V. Thirunanama Karasu, 50, made the report on March 19 this year, in which he said he and another brother were involved, either individually or jointly, in delivering the gifts in 1996.
This report is pursuant to another report which he lodged three days earlier at Kelana Jaya where he alleged that he was being followed and watched and that he feared for his life and safety of his family, because of a report he had wanted to lodge against Lingam and all those involved.
The March 19 police report was given to reporters today by Malaysian Democratic Party (MDP) secretary-general Wee Choo Keong (pix), who said Thirunama Karasu called him 10 days ago for help and subsequently gave him a copy of his report.
Thirunama Karasu was not present at today's press conference at the MDP office at SS2.
Police on Sunday were not able to confirm receiving the report but a source said such reports are usually referred to the Federal Commercial Crimes Investigations Department and if any elements of corruption are found, the department will liaise with the Anti-Corruption Agency.
In his report, Thirunama Karasu named the gifts that he delivered:
* A new leather briefcase (containing some documents), a wallet and a lady's leather handbag, delivered to a former top judge's house in 1996.
* Three bowls of soup prepared by a brother's wife for the former top judge's wife who was sick at that time (no date given).
* Four handphones and one extra battery to the former top judge and two former judges.
Thirunama Karasu also alleged that in 1995, he saw Lingam handing over a cheque for RM50,000 to a former industrial court chairman.
In that year, he also witnessed a dinner hosted by Lingam at his house in SS7, Kelana Jaya, for the former top judge and a former senior judge and their wives and children.
Thirunama Karasu also alleged that he had driven Lingam to the former top judge's house, usually at about 11.30pm, and the latter would be carrying a big bundle of files. But when he returned to pick him up between 12.30am and 1am, he would be carrying a single file.
His police report also alleged that in 1996, he received cash from Lingam to settle a handphone bill in the name of a former top policeman.
Thirunama Karasu also recounted an incident in 1996, in which his brother instructed him, another sibling and a family friend to withdraw large sums of money from a bank in Jalan Sultan Ismail upon receiving information that the Anti-Corruption Agency was going to Lingam’s office to investigate the Perwaja Steel corruption case.
Some of the money was banked into his and the family friend's accounts and five bank drafts for 60,000 pound sterling each were later banked into his account, and the accounts of five other people in London.
Thirunama Karasu claimed that in 1998, Lingam warned him not to tell the ACA about his dealings with the former judges and the former top policeman and those involved after he (Thirunama Karasu) gave a full statement to lawyer "Datuk Safee (sic) Abdullah and Sulaiman Abdullah".
His police report did not mention the context in which he had given that statement.
However, he did say that in December 1997, he was forced to sign a statutory declaration prepared by Lingam, and another brother.
"In 1998, my brother sent three lawyers who forced me into making a false statement and made me sign the statement on 81 pages. They then told me to get admitted for two years in Hospital Bahagia. I refused. They then told me to put up an act that I was very depressed and mentally unstable and get admitted in University Hospital," said Thirunama Karasu.
"They put fear into me during the 1998 ACA investigations and I told them that in 1998, the first and third statement which I gave ACA was true and the second statement was false," he added.
Wee said there was no link between the sources of the 14-minute video clip released by Parti Keadilan Rakyat adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in September and Thirunama Karasu's police report.
He said the decision to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry to investigate the video clip as announced by the prime minister on Friday should also take into account the contents of this police report.
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