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I refer to Malaysiakini report, Be ready to boycott judiciary, lawyers told .

As a Malaysian, I am sad that the lawyers had to resort to boycott the judiciary as a result of the Lingam tape scandal . In fact, I believe the lawyers did this at the last resort and had the authority been decisive in their actions in solving the case, this boycott would not happen.

At the onset of the revelation of the tape, Pak Lah should have formed a royal commission and zoomed in on the issue right away. But he chose not to. Instead, Najib appointed a toothless independent panel just to establish the authenticity of the recording, which is irrelevant.

In the eyes of the public, it is a ploy to play for time. Let us assume that the conversation is about a plot to blow up a bridge and the speakers and those named in the tape are known to the authority. Would the government insist that the recording has to be authenticated before any action is taken?

The panel entrusted to establish the authenticity too are not experts in the field. Instead ways and means are concocted to derail the issue. For example, they insist that Anwar Ibrahim should provide them with the original tape and its source.

This is something impossible. Anwar will not have the original recording for sure. He might or might not even know the source. Assuming that the source is known to him, he definitely will not reveal it. At best, he could coax the source to voluntarily come forward to tell the story.

Again, the question of safety of the person furnishing the recording is at stake. In spite of assurance by the authority that his identity will be kept confidential, who would in their right frame of mind believe that. There are too many times that identity of informers or witnesses being leaked to the public. It looks like there are no one in the authority who is trustworthy any more.

In this particular case, the consequence for the source can be very grave. The people involved in the recording are no small people. They are powerful people with enormous wealth and influence. And not to mention, the many henchmen who are willing to do anything for their bosses.

Now that there is an impasse in solving the case, Pak Lah has rebuked the lawyers for their protest. He even said that by their actions, a wrong message is sent to would-be investors. but he failed to see the fault in him. Had he acted decisively and bring those mentioned in the recording to book, our national transparency and integrity would be enhanced many folds and thereby instilling untold confidence among would-be investors.

It is high time the government listen to the majority of the public. They cannot be wrong. In this particular scandal, definitely those lawyers who are learned and intelligent would not simply sacrifice their time and comfort to march in hot sun or rain just to put the message across. Even DYMM Sultan of Perak, a former Lord President and a very highly respected one in the Commonwealth, had expressed similar concern over the issue.

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