Several lawyers - whose name appeared in the scandalous video recording of senior lawyer VK Lingam allegedly fixing judicial appointments - were dumbfounded by the matter.


 The shocking eight-minute video clip released by PKR
 
 de facto
 
 leader Anwar Ibrahim two days ago showed Lingam's telephone conversation purportedly with Chief Justice Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim in 2002.


 <img align="left" alt="" border="0" height="146" hspace="5" src="http://mk-cdn.mkini.net/97/77390db63bf7c7ef3c2d8ece0f61dc22.gif" style="WIDTH: 219px; HEIGHT: 146px" width="219"/>
 The inference from the discussion was that "key players" should be nominated for judicial appointments in order to hear cases and deliver judgments accordingly.


 From the conversation, it appears that a letter was sent to then Chief Justice Mohamad Dzaiddin Abdullah with a list of potential candidates for appointment into the High Court.


 Among the list of names, two of them -"Dr Andrew Chew" and "Zainudin Ismail" - were purportedly rejected by Dzaiddin.


 Author and lawyer in Sarawak, Dr Andrew Chew when contacted by
 
 Malaysiakini
 
 yesterday said he has not read the story in full and was not aware that his name was put up for judicial promotion in 2002.


 "I haven't read it. I don't know what you're talking about. I don't know this VK Lingam," he said.


 <img align="left" height="930" hspace="5" src="http://mk-cdn.mkini.net/97/a1cf3569f5cd022666de09d596fa8136.gif" width="250"/>
 Meanwhile, Zainudin Ismail's name was dropped because he "condemned" Ahmad Fairuz's promotion to Chief Judge of Malaya and former Attorney-General Mohtar Abdullah's appointment to the Federal Court according to Lingam in the video clip.


 Zainudin who said he first heard about the video clip from a friend said he hasn't seen it and was surprised that it happened.


 "I knew them because Fairuz and Mohtar were my seniors in university. I don't think I was critical of them.


 "I don't know Lingam. I don't know what is being said (by him) but if this is true then I'm very sad with the state of affairs," the former Kuala Lumpur Bar committee chairperson commented.


 
 
 Promoted on same date
 
 




 Other names mentioned in the conversation for promotion were Heliliah Yusof, Ramly Ali and Ahmad Maarop who are all currently Court of Appeal judges.


 According to the Malaysian Superior and Subordinate Courts Annual Report 2004/2005, all three of them were promoted to the High Court on the same date - Feb 8, 2002.


 The video showed Lingam expressing concern that the outgoing Chief Justice Dzaiddin was moving his 'men' into top judiciary posts.


 The conversation revolved around the urgent need to get Ahmad Fairuz, then chief judge of Malaya - the judiciary's No 3 - appointed as Court of Appeal president (No 2) and then chief justice (No 1).


 There was also the plan to get former attorney-general Mohtar to replace Fairuz as No 3.


 Lingam's conversation also included references to tycoon Vincent Tan, a close crony of then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, and Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, a key minister in the PM's Department.


 They were to talk to Mahathir on the appointment of judges.


 Both Lingam and Raja Aziz Addruse - a senior lawyer who was also mentioned in the video - could not be contacted for comments.

The Lingam tape
 

The names mentioned in the VK Lingam video tape slotted for judicial promotion were eventually promoted and those who didn't appeared clueless over what has transpired.

Named lawyers clueless over Lingam tape

~RM12

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