The name of Chief Justice Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim was explicitly mentioned in the second part of the infamous 'judicial appointment fixing' video clip that has yet to be released, Anwar Ibrahim revealed today.

Although the PKR supremo did not explain in what context Ahmad Fairuz's name was brought up in the second part, he however appeared to suggest the revelation will confirm that the person on the other end of the phone conversation was the CJ.

"In the second part of the clip, there were other personalities shown. In the second part of the clip too, Ahmad Fairuz was mentioned by VK Lingam (the lawyer talking in the clip)," Anwar told a 250-odd crowd at a forum in a Kuala Lumpur hotel this afternoon.

"It is interesting now that the chief justice has denied (his involvement). I would love to see him defend himself in the dock as to whether he was lying," he added at the forum titled 'From Nurin to chief justice: A collapse of law and order?'.

Anwar also noted that it was not accurate to describe the eight-minute clip he released earlier - out of a 14-minute one - as an edited version, arguing that the clip was merely separated into two portions to protect the identity of the source.

Asked later, he said the remaining part of the video clip will be released at "a right time".

'Judges that money can buy'

The clip Anwar released on Sept 19 showed Lingam talking on the phone, apparently brokering the appointment of judges with Ahmad Fairuz, who was the chief judge of Malaya at the time the clip was said to be recorded in 2002.

Ahmad Fairuz's name was mentioned four times by Lingam throughout the first part of the clip but it could not be ascertained whether it was him that the senior lawyer was talking to - although the context of the conversation indicates that the other person at the other end was the chief justice.

The video clip has sparked an uproar among the legal fraternity, with the Bar Council - the governing body for 13,500 lawyers - pressing for the formation of a royal commission of inquiry to get to the bottom of the matter.

Falling short of the council's demand, the government earlier this week established a three-member panel comprising of two former judges and a social activist to investigate the authenticity of the video clip.

Anwar however gave the thumbs-down on the government's move.

"Are we going to leave it to the executive to decide on the future of the judiciary? That is very naive," he said of the government-appointed panel.

The ex-deputy premier added that the whistleblower is "prepared" to come forward, provided there is sufficient immunity and protection extended to the latter such as in the form of a probe by a royal commission of inquiry.

"Let them question the authenticity of the video clip, but we will win this time," he said to a round of applause from the floor.

Speaking at the same forum, former Transparency International-Malaysia president Tunku Abdul Aziz ( right ) supported the calls for the setting up of a royal commission to look into the "health" of the judiciary.

"We are in danger of having judicial officers that money can buy," he said.

"There is an urgent need to reform and overhaul the judicial system to save it from further destructive manipulation by the executive," he declared, adding that it was sad that the judiciary has allowed itself to be politically influenced.

Bar's EGM may not be postponed

Another speaker, Bar Council secretary Lim Chee Wee ( right ) said the council would not let up in pushing for a royal commission of inquiry just because of the formation of a government-appointed panel, whose only task is to ascertain the clip's authenticity.

He was quizzed earlier by the floor over the council's latest move to postpone its extraordinary general meeting (EGM) slated for next Saturday to discuss the rot in the judiciary.

"We may reconsider it (the decision to postpone the EGM) given the limited terms of reference of the panel, let's wait and see. The EGM definitely is not cancelled but merely postponed," he said.

Param Cumaraswamy, the former UN special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, reiterated the long-standing call for a judicial commission to deal with the appointment and elevation of judges.

"What I can't understand is why the present government of (Prime Minister) Abdullah Ahmad Badawi continue to resist (a judicial commission to be set up)?" he asked.

Among those who spoke during the question-and-answer session later included politician-lawyer Wee Choo Keong - whose name was brought up by Lingam in the clip - and constitutional lawyer Dominic Puthucheary, who said he was "shocked" when he first watched the clip.

SPECIAL REPORT: The Lingam tape