Breaking news - Commission: Act against Dr M and 5 others (updated)

(yahoo) By JULIA ZAPPEI, Associated Press Writer

PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia - A high-level inquiry found evidence that prominent government and judicial figures — including former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad — were involved in a conspiracy to manipulate the appointment of judges, Malaysia's law minister said Friday.

The revelation deals a major blow to the reputation of Malaysia's courts and bolsters allegations by many lawyers and opposition leade rs that judicial corruption has tainted verdicts stretching back more than a decade.

Demands for reforms jolted the judiciary after the opposition leaked a video in September that allegedly showed a well-connected lawyer, V.K. Lingam, speaking by telephone in 2001 to a former top judge, Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim, about the promotion of judges.

Law Minister Zaid Ibrahim said a panel that investigated the video found that it was authentic, and that Lingam apparently conspired with his allies in the judiciary, government and corporate world to broker the appointment of judges.

The Cabinet told the Attorney General's office Friday to undertake immediate investigations into the "possibility that offenses against the law have been committed," Zaid told reporters.

The video — filmed by a visitor to Lingam's house — shows him talking about ways to help Ahmad Fairuz become Malaysia's top-ranking judge with the help of business tycoon Vincent Tan and Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, a former Cabinet minister.

The inquiry's report said "there was conceivably an insidious movement by (Lingam) with the covert assistance of his close friends (Tan and Tengku Adnan) to involve themselves actively in the appointment of judges."

"In the process ... Mahathir was also entangled," the report added. "Actions of the main characters concerned have the effect of seriously undermining and eroding the independence and integrity of the judiciary as a whole."

Tengku Adnan did not answer calls to his mobile phone. Aides to Lingam, Tan and Mahathir could not immediately be contacted.

All denied any wrongdoing while testifying in inquiry hearings earlier this year.

Lingam claimed he may have been drunk when the video was shot. Ahmad Fairuz, who became chief justice in 2003 and retired last year, denied speaking to Lingam. Mahathir, Tengku Adnan and Tan insisted they were not part of any conspiracy.

In Malaysia's legal system, the chief judge recommends candidates for senior judicial appointments and promotions to the prime minister, who can accept or reject those names.

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Associated Press writer Sean Yoong contributed to this report.


Mahadi: This is a propaganda to go against me. It is politically motivated.
The people: Of course we believe you. Look at the hand sign below.


Other breaking news:

(Strait Times)M'sia lawmaker unveils alleged army recruit abuse

KUALA LUMPUR - A Malaysian opposition lawmaker has called for a government inquiry after releasing a video showing what he says is the abuse of army recruits by their superiors.

Opposition lawmaker Saifuddin Nasution released the two-minute clip who shows a man in a dark green military uniform stepping on the head of a bare-chested man forced to lie on his stomach, the Star daily reported.

Mr Nasution told the Star he had showed the clip to former army commando officers, who said they 'recognised the location and also the uniforms as those belonging to commando trainers,' adding they believed the tape was recent.

'From what I gather, this may not be an isolated incident,' he told the paper.

'If it is not, the government must answer why it is being done as it insults the dignity and honour of the Malaysian army,' he added.

Neither the defence ministry nor Mr Nasution's office could be immediately reached for comment.

Mr Nasution told the Star he had already raised the matter with Deputy Premier and Defence Minister Najib Razak.

Malaysia's military recruits undergo a notoriously tough training regimen before qualifying as full-fledged soldiers, but parents of recruits have recently lodged numerous complaints about alleged abuse and harassment.

Mr Abdul Rahim Dahalan, adviser to the Veteran Commandos Club, defended the action in the video and said the motivation behind the release of recording was 'strictly political'.

Soldiers voluntarily applied to be commandos and were aware of the toughness of the training programme, he said, adding that about 50 per cent drop out after the first week.

'What you see (in the video) is nothing to us. It is only orientation. This is basic commando training,' Mr Abdul Rahim, who spent 10 years as a commando and instructor, told reporters.

'They are the elite. Do you want sissy soldiers?' -- AFP



Another denial?
Rahim: Not our fault. This is all about politic.
The people: Again. We believe you. Look at the hand sign below.

What a pile of rubbish!