An opposition member of Parliament today charged that the government has lost the plot in the Lingam tape scandal by failing to set up a royal commission.

Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) said he could not understand why the government refused to form a royal commission to look into the controversy.

"Why is the government so hesitant in forming a royal commission of inquiry into the tape? The judicial crisis we see now is worse than what we saw in 1988, after the sacking of Tun Salleh Abas ," said Karpal while debating the Supply Bill 2008.

The Lingam tape , revealed by opposition party PKR last month, revealed a phone conversation involving lawyer VK Lingam and an unidentified person, brokering the appointment of friendly judges.

The context of the conversation however indicated that the person at the other end of the line was the then Chief Judge of Malaya and the present Chief Justice Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim.

Karpal also lambasted the independent panel set up by the government to look into the authenticity of the video clip.

"The panel has only six days left to prepare report on the authenticity of the tape. And I don't see the point why we need an expert to verify the authenticity," he said.

ACA wants original clip

Karpal also criticised Ahmad Fairuz for using Nazri to deny his involvement in the video clip.

"Why did the CJ use the executive to deny this? Where is there separation of powers?" he asked.

Karpal, a veteran lawyer, was also of the view that the government and the ACA were trying to cover up the crisis surrounding Lingam tape by going after the whistleblowers instead of those involved in the tape.

"Instead of going after the thief, they (ACA) are going after the person who has pointed out the thief," he said.

Karpal added that he did not understand why the ACA needed the unedited tape when they have enough information in the tape that has been given to them.

The ACA had asked PKR to reveal the source of the video clip. Today the agency also issued an ultimatum to PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim to hand over the original video clip or risk going to jail.

The independent panel to look into the authenticity of the clip will have to submit their findings to the government on Oct 27. It is however expected to seek an extension.