Senior lawyer Robert Lazar today denied seeking VK Lingam’s assistance to be appointed as a Court of Appeal judge in early 2000.

Lazar told the royal commission of inquiry into the Lingam tape this morning that he had not spoken to Lingam on that matter, despite the later alleging otherwise.

“There’s absolutely no truth. It is an outrageous lie committed by him,” said Lazar, who represents the Malaysian Bar in the inquiry.

Lingam’s allegation had stunned the courtroom, especially the Malaysian Bar’s legal team, yesterday.

Responding to a question from fellow Malaysian Bar representative Yeo Yang Poh, Lazar said he could think of three reasons as to why Lingam could have made the claim.

“He is obviously out to discredit and embarrass me. Secondly it could be an attempt to disqualify me from representing the Malaysian Bar in the proceedings which I will not succumb to.

“And thirdly, he is trying to divert the matter,” he said.

He added that Lingam’s allegation was “obviously an entertaining distraction at my cost”.

Lazar denied suggestions by Lingam’s counsel R Thayalan that the conversation allegedly took place at Seng Nam restaurant (opposite the Malaysian Bar Council building) in early 2000.

“I never had a drink with VK Lingam and I never had the conversation he mentioned yesterday,” he stressed.

Yesterday, Lingam told the commission that Lazar had allegedly asked him to talk to former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad for a direct appointment to the Court of Appeal.

'No intention to become judge'

Meanwhile, Lazar also denied the suggestion that he had sought Lingam’s assistance to be made a judge since Lingam, who is also a senior lawyer, was representing Mahathir’s son Mirzan in a libel suit.

Lazar had acted for the defendant Star Papyrus in the case before the Court of Appeal.

According to Lingam, Lazar had approached him and said ‘You are the man who can help me’.

“I told the person that I don’t know Tun Mahathir but then the person told me to talk to his son, Mirzan.

“I told him Mirzan is my client at the time, not my friend. He appealed to me a few times but I told him I can’t do anything,” claimed Lingam.

Lazar also denied that he had any intention of serving as a judge.

“(At the time) I was only 43 and had been a legal practitioner for 20 years. There is absolutely no reason to abandon my career to seek judicial office,” he explained.

Below is the transcript of Lazar’s testimony today

Yeo Yang Poh: Mr Lazar, are you now aware of the allegations made against you by VK Lingam yesterday?

Robert Lazar: I was not here yesterday but I understand the allegation is that I approached VK Lingam to seek his assistance to procure my appointment to judicial office.

Yeo: Is there any truth in that?

Lazar: There’s absolutely no truth. It is an outrageous lie committed by him.

Yeo: Just to be clear. Did you ever ask VK Lingam to lobby your appointment to judicial office?

Lazar: There is absolutely no basis for that. I understand he says that this took place in early 2000. In early 2000, I was only 43 years old and had been a legal practitioner for 20 years. There would have been absolutely no reason to abandon my legal career to seek judicial office. It never arose.

Commision member Mahadev Shankar: If I remember correctly, he went further to suggest that when this approach took place, he was on one side of the case and you were on the other side? Can you clarify?

Yeo: That’s my next question. Do you remember a case of the Star Papyrus where you acted for one party and VK Lingam acted for another?

Lazar: Yes, there was at the Court of Appeal. I was counsel for the Star Papyrus and VK Lingam was counsel for Mirzan Mahathir the respondent. The appeal, I checked in my diary, took place in May 2000.

Yeo: It was alleged that VK Lingam and you went for a drink when the conversation took place. Did you go for a drink with VK Lingam?

Lazar: I’ve never had a drink with VK Lingam.

Commission chairperson Haidar Mohamed Noor: A soft drink? ( Audience laughed )

Lazar: Soft or hard, I never had a drink with him, after court or any occasion.

Yeo: Do you have any idea why VK Lingam made those allegations?

Lazar: I can think of three reasons. The first is he is obviously out to discredit and embarrass me. Secondly, it is an attempt to disqualify me from representing the Malaysian Bar in these proceedings which I will not succumb to. Third, he is trying to divert the matter and obviously it is an entertaining distraction at my cost.

Thayalan: Just to put my client’s instruction on this matter whether Mr Lazar agrees or not.

Mahadev: You knew your client was going to make that statement?

Thayalan: No, no after. Yesterday when Mr Lazar ... was allowed.

Thayalan: Can I suggest to you that you had a drink at Seng Nam restaurant (opposite the Bar Council building), in between or after the appeal and that’s when you asked if VK Lingam can help you be made a Court of Appeal judge since VK Lingam was acting for Mirzan Mahathir the son of the then prime minister. Do you agree?

Lazar: I do not agree. I never had a drink with VK Lingam and I never had the conversation he mentioned yesterday.

Thayalan: That’s all.