Former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has released a video that was recorded in 2002, showing senior lawyer VK Lingam in a phone conversation, purportedly with current Chief Justice Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim, allegedly fixing the appointment of ‘friendly’ senior judges.
I am not surprised with the scandal, but am surprised that something like that was caught on tape (or video, whatever). Our judiciary system is losing faith among Malaysians since former PM Mahathir Mohamad fired the chief judge in 1988. Since then Malaysia no longer have a judiciary that is independent from government administration.
It is therefore no surprise that money and relationship play a greater part in determining the position of senior judges rather than based on pure merit.
The main media has been extremely quiet on this saga; the news is not completely blackout, but the scale of the reports is pathetic.
Meanwhile DPM Najib Abdul Razak has said that the government will first confirm the authenticity of the ‘VK Lingam’ video before deciding on the next course of action. [Malaysiakini]
Video of VK Lingam in the phone conversation
You can read the draft transcript via PKR’s website or Malaysiakini.