The royal inquiry into the Lingam video clip has started on Monday (Jan 14). 17 witnesses are expected to be called to testify in the Royal Commission of Inquiry, including former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (full list on Bernama).
Anti-Corruption Agency officials has told the royal commission on the VK Lingam tape that the room featured in the video clip was indeed the lawyer’s living room, as mentioned by businessman Loh Mui Fah during some earlier press interviews.
Loh has admitted that he was the person who talked to VK Lingam in the video, and that the video clip is authentic and was taken by his son in late December 2001. Loh however claimed that neither he nor his son knew how the video clip managed to get into public.
The most dramatic event of the day is perhaps the application being made for the disqualification of its chairperson and two other members.
M. Puravelan, who is representing three witnesses from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), said that the three commissioners (chairman Tan Sri Haidar Mohamed Nor, Tan Sri Amar Steve Shim Lip Kiong and Puan Sri Zaitun Zawiyah Puteh) should disqualify themselves because they have connections with either the case or the witnesses.
Puravelan (obviously just telling what Anwar Ibrahim told him to) said Haidar is a trustee of Perdana Foundation of which two other witnesses, former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and prominent businessman Tan Sri Vincent Tan, are also trustees.
Personally I think the application is unnecessary. Mahathir had been Malaysia’s PM for more than 2 decades, most if not all of the prominent businessmen, government leaders and top judiciary officials for the past 30 years would have certain relationship with him (could be friends or enemies).
Besides, there are 17 people on the list (could be more in future) of inquiry; it’s close to impossible to find a team of qualified yet totally unrelated personnel to become the royal panel members. It would be wonderful if we managed to do so, but we have to be realistic and content with what we have at the moment.