Malaysia probes judge scandal

2008-01-14 15:41

Kuala Lumpur - A high-level Malaysian panel investigating a scandal over the alleged brokering of judgeships rejected a call by lawyers on Monday for three of its members to step down because of concerns about their impartiality.

The lawyers' call came as a five-member Royal Commission began hearing witness testimony in an investigation of a video that allegedly shows VK Lingam, a prominent lawyer, brokering the appointment of top judges.

Lawyers representing Malaysia's Bar Council and opposition politician Anwar Ibrahim, who released the video clip, said three officials on the panel should withdraw from the probe because they are linked with potential witnesses in the investigation.

The three officials in the government-appointed commission, comprising former senior judges and legal experts, rejected the call, insisting they would remain impartial.

Officials launched the investigation after Anwar released a video clip in September that apparently shows Lingam talking on his cellphone and identifying the person on the other end as a senior judge.

The video records the lawyer speaking about how he helped get the judge appointed and discusses plans to elevate him further with the help of a tycoon and a senior politician. A number of judges are also named during the conversation.

Chuah Lay Choo, an official in the government's Anti-Corruption Agency, testified to the commission on Monday that agency officers who visited Lingam's home believed the video had been filmed there.

The video clip has become widely available on the internet, but its authenticity has not been confirmed.

Anwar, Lingam and other well-known political and judicial figures - including former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad - are scheduled to testify over the next two weeks.

The panel is expected to decide whether there is sufficient evidence of wrongdoing and recommend an appropriate course of action.

- AP