PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim will not back down in face of a demand from the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) for a full version of the 'Lingam tape' when its deadline expires tomorrow.

He has been given up to tomorrow to submit the 14-minute version of the recording or risk being jailed for a maximum two years or fined up to RM10,000, or both, if convicted under the Anti-Corruption Act.

"We will give a copy of the eight-minute clip on a thumb drive (and the clip is the one) which has been publicly viewed," Anwar's personal assistant Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said when contacted today.

"We won't do that (release the full clip) until our demand all this while is met (for a guarantee of protection and legal immunity for the sources)."

The ACA officers are expected to collect the clip from Anwar at his Petaling Jaya office, Nik Nazmi said.

Anwar was served notice on Monday, following the agency's second visit to his office since he released the explosive clip on Sept 19. It has since reiterated that Anwar must hand in the full clip or face action.

Nik Nazmi declined comment on a remark by de facto law minister Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz, reported in the papers today, that it would be adequate for Anwar just to show the full clip to the ACA and that it would not be necessarily to hand in the clip.

Nazri said Anwar could screen the full clip to the ACA, and it would be adequate to verify the authenticity of the recording.

Protection of informants

At this press conference on Monday, Anwar argued that the copy of the video clip which he will provide tomorrow "can be authenticated" so that the authorities have no reason not to proceed with the investigation.

He also said he would contact the two whistleblowers to obtain the original copy, but the decision on releasing the remaining segment of the recording would be left to them.

"They (the whistleblowers) want to be protected, (and) I can't protect their personal security," Anwar said, as he reiterated the need to set up a royal commission of inquiry which would be empowered to provide absolute immunity to the whistleblowers.

Anwar had on Sept 19 released the explosive eight-minute clip, which he said was the first part of a 14-minute clip.

He argued that the remaining portion of the clip could not be revealed as this would expose the identity of the whistleblowers.

The grainy eight-minute video clip showed senior lawyer VK Lingam in a telephone conversation allegedly with current Chief Justice Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim on appointing 'friendly' judges.

Ahmad Fairuz, who was the chief judge of Malaya at the time, has denied his involvement through Nazri.

Anwar is the third person to have been slapped with the ACA notice. PKR vice-president R Sivarasa and Anwar's aide Sim Tze Tzin were also given a similar notice to reveal the source of the video clip or face action.

They have refused to comply, saying they are concerned about the safety of the informants.

SPECIAL REPORT: The Lingam tape