I am not certain why Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi thanked Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim for the services rendered during his tenure as chief justice. With the Lingam tape controversy hanging over him and his request for an extension of his tenure being rejected, this is nothing short of a disgrace to Ahmad Fairuz.

The prime minister must be fair to the chief justice so that he can redeem himself and the only way to do this is by setting up a royal commission. The denial that he was the one talking to VK Lingam and communicating this to the de facto law minister only shows that the chief justice and the judiciary he is leading is subservient to the executive.

Don't thank Ahmad Fairuz, but help him clear his name so that he can absolve himself completely from this chicanery. By appointing a panel of 'eunuchs' with no powers to investigate the authencity of the tape will not, and cannot, absolve the chief justice.

Ahmad Fairuz is not an ordinary magistrate or a small-time Sessions Court or High Court judge. He holds the highest judicial office in the land. That office is now stinking so badly and I dare say that the problems lie not only with Ahmad Fairuz but his predecessors too. Ahmad Fairuz was the last one to hold the 'shit bucket' when it over flowed.

Mr PM, even if you perceive the Bar Council as an opposition party, at least pay heed to His Royal Highness Raja Azlan Shah's advice that all is not well in the judiciary.